Size

March 27, 2023
In this meandering investigation, Smil (Grand Transitions), a geography professor at the University of Manitoba, Canada, meditates on size and its relation to status, intelligence, wealth, and beauty. Offering up loosely connected musings on the role that growth, scale, proportion, and other size-related concepts play in nature and human affairs, Smil contends that human efforts to make ever larger objects, “from TV screens to skyscrapers,” are the result of industrialization and its emphasis on developing increasingly efficient means of harvesting energy. He suggests that body size has complex consequences; studies show that taller children have higher test scores and that taller adults make more money than their shorter counterparts. Smil considers limitations on scaling up and observes that while larger wind turbines generate more power, rotor weight increases exponentially with blade length, restricting how big turbines can get. Debunking common myths, Smil notes that while some mathematicians claim the proportions of the golden ratio are “esthetically superior,” studies have failed to prove a correlation between how pleasing subjects find a painting or face and how closely it adheres to the ratio. There’s plenty of stimulating trivia, but the lack of an overarching framework to give meaning to the disparate facts leaves this feeling inconclusive. This intermittently fascinates, even as it struggles to find the point. Photos.

April 15, 2023
From the miniature and microscopic to the colossal and cosmic, scientist and prolific author Smil (How the World Really Works, 2022) traverses the extremes and plenty in between. Beyond physical dimensions, size really matters in all kinds of ways, economic, social, cultural, and aspirational. Even language is not immune to the influence of size. Smil notes that "large has always been a byword for importance and grandeur in the human imagination." But great size often connotes danger and fear, too. While people generally favor larger sizes, big is not necessarily better. Consider human height. There is a connection between taller stature and higher risk of several types of cancer. Smil explores size distribution and scaling, designs and ergonomics, perceptions and illusions, growth and limits. He considers the travels of Gulliver and Lewis Carroll's size-morphing Alice. Gargantuan tankers transporting crude oil, shape-shifting creatures, architecture, microprocessors packed with billions of components are all examined. Evolution and biological size are addressed. Smil concludes this fascinating inquiry with a paradox, "Some things we may prefer small, others do not appear ever to be large enough."

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Starred review from April 1, 2023
One of the world's most interesting thinkers investigates the large, the small, and everything in between. The term polymath is overused these days, but in Smil's case, it is appropriate. He is currently a professor of environmental studies at the University of Manitoba, but his research interests--and the dozens of books he has written (How the World Really Works, Numbers Don't Lie, Oil: A Beginner's Guide, etc.)--cover subjects ranging from technology and energy to psychology and art. Here, the author skillfully synthesizes a wealth of material to help explain the world and our place in it. He notes that humans have always been impressed by giant things, whether naturally occurring or of human design. The reasons are not entirely clear, but Smil suggests that there are elements of inspiration, intimidation, shock, and awe. He tracks the history of big constructions, from Stonehenge to skyscrapers, and provides a fascinating chapter on the limits on size imposed by materials, construction methods, and economics. Even in the age of environmental awareness, there is still a preference for bigness--e.g., cars and TVs. Smil also examines how the concept of averages was developed and deployed across society. Somehow, he even manages to make a section on the formulae used to establish deviations from norms interesting and accessible. He throws in an array of factoids, such as the above-average height of the CEOs of large corporations, the ergonomics of airline seats, and the mountains of money amassed by a few people. At the other end of the scale, he examines the very small, looking at molecular construction and how microchips work. Along the way, he provides an analysis of relative sizes in Gulliver's Travels and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. As Smil acknowledges, there is no finale of condensed wisdom in the concluding chapter, but no matter: The journey itself is an appealing and informative ride. Smil packs entire worlds into entertaining, colorful, pleasing packages.

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