Review of Charged: "The Hidden Costs of Batteries" in Science by Benjamin K. Sovacool
- Aug 1, 2022
- 1 min read
Batteries are everywhere—in our mobile phones, our remote controls, our toys, and increasingly in the fleets of electric vehicles on our roads. Batteries are ubiquitous because they can do many things: They can store energy in homes, improve the resilience of electric grids, and assist with the integration of low-carbon electricity sources such as wind farms and solar photovoltaic panels.
Batteries, argues environmental historian James Morton Turner in his new book, Charged, are the cornerstone of our modern “culture of mobility,” one that depends on portable, reliable, and cordless sources of energy. In Charged, Turner offers an eminently readable, elegantly precise treatise on the topic of batteries…
For full review, see Science
Very insightful review. You explained the importance of batteries and their wider impact in a way that feels balanced and easy to understand. I like how the post highlights both the benefits of battery technology and the hidden environmental and social costs behind it. In the middle of reading this, it reminded me of a discussion I recently saw on https://gocollectiv.com/, where people were sharing different perspectives on the future of batteries and electric vehicles. This is definitely a thought-provoking piece.
I appreciated how you balanced summary with critical insight, making it useful for both new readers and those familiar with the topic. The way you explained the topic was very clear and helpful. I recently came across a similar discussion on a review blog, and it offered an interesting perspective as well. It also made me think about how clarity in presenting complex topics is essential—something I’ve noticed on platforms like https://www.sherwaytrilliumdental.ca/, where information is communicated in a straightforward and reassuring way.