Brandi Hope Johnson
University of North Alabama
In Unstoppable, science educator and mechanical engineer Bill Nye teaches his readers about global climate change and, most importantly, what they can do about it. Calling them the “Next Great Generation” who can make all the difference in saving the planet, he asks readers to consider all of the possibilities and opportunities to counteract climate change, such as creating clean, sustainable energy from solar, wind, and tidal sources rather than traditional methods like drilling for fossil fuels. “We face a challenge right now, you and I,” he writes, “that is even greater in aspect and scope than a global war. It is a battle for our house and home, and for our future on this planet.”
In contrast to the many books and articles that focus only on the terrifying effects of climate change, Unstoppable brainstorms solutions. Nye considers different ways to produce, use, and store energy and discusses various strategies for combatting climate change, both proactive (lowering carbon emissions) and reactive (actually repairing damage to the atmosphere). Some of the ideas presented, like the vacuum-tube Hyperloop transporation system, require further technological advancement to be feasible; others, such as pale pavement to lower temperatures in cities and reduce energy consumption, could be implemented today and make a significant difference in the rate and severity of climate change.
Inevitably, a book on climate change must address climate change deniers; Nye ably discredits their arguments using science and logic. “And yet,” he writes, “even now, after nearly fifty years of intensive research and more than thirty years of scientific consensus on the nature of global warming, there is still a sizeable group of people who grasp at any stray fact or, more commonly, any stray intuition, to help them deny what is happening. In denying the problem, they are also denying the need to step up and do something about it.” Nye points out that the most avid and influential climate change deniers are also the ones profiting the most from fossil fuel consumption. Overall, his argument is a convincing one.
Nye writes in a conversational, almost journal-like style, taking detours from the main topic to share stories from his childhood or explain how electricity and rockets work. Readers familiar with his 1990s TV series Bill Nye the Science Guy will recognize his characteristic sense of humor in presenting a range of scientific topics. Each chapter is short, and the concepts build on one another in a way that should be engaging and easy to follow for readers of various ages.
Unstoppable is worth reading for everyone who calls Earth home, a valuable guide to the many potential solutions to global climate change. Nye urges readers to expand on those existing ideas—to be innovative, to create tools and use materials in new ways, and to make big and small differences to curb the consequences of climate change. The book’s dedication carries his hopeful message: “To the Next Great Generation. Embrace science. Solve problems. Make things. Change the World.”
