Our Biggest Experiment: An Epic History of the Climate Crisis

This book by climate activist Bell stands out from the herd of recent titles on climate change, for its unlikely origin (as an alternative walking tour of London) and its lively account of the innovators, inventors, instigators and investigators of industry, energy, and climate in Great Britain, Europe, and the United States. Bell’s account of the climate crisis is both historical (spanning the 18th through 21st centuries) and personal and fully demonstrates her PhD in science communication. It’s especially readable and engaging for its fascinating narratives of little-known climate scientists and activists who first sounded the alarm, and its particular attention to Black innovators whose scientific contributions have been overlooked. She adeptly recognizes the impact of scientific and technological developments on social ills; for instance, she considers the real and projected implications of switching from fossil fuels to electricity. Bell’s outlook for the future is dim, given the irreversibility of some climate effects, but she’s ultimately hopeful that climate scientists and technologists still have options for altering the current trajectory. Bell runs a UK climate action non-profit called Possible, whose name says it all.