Where I'd start
The Last Human – A Glimpse Into The Far FutureArgues that if humanity survives the next few centuries, nearly everyone who will ever live is still unborn. About 117 billion people have lived so far, and even a conservative one million years on Earth implies roughly 100 trillion more. Key ideas: we may be at the start of the human story, the unborn are the largest group affected by present choices, and long-term thinking matters.It zooms out to the big picture of the universe and where humanity might end up.
Are There Lost Alien Civilizations in Our Past?Asks whether an earlier technological species could have existed on Earth, using humanity's own phases (97% hunter-gatherer, 2.9% farming, 0.1% industrial) to judge what would remain. Surface traces vanish within a few million years, but an industrial society might leave chemical, isotope, and plastic signatures. Key ideas: geological time erases most traces, industrial signatures could last longest, and our own civilization is not guaranteed.Deep thinking that fuels my abstract thinking about things I can't observe directly.
We WILL Fix Climate Change!Argues that the apocalyptic climate scenario has become much less likely, with current policies pointing to roughly 3 degrees Celsius of warming by 2100, which is serious but survivable. It cites collapsing solar, wind, and battery costs and rich countries cutting emissions while their economies grow. Key ideas: real technological and economic progress, emissions decoupling from growth, and hopelessness as a trap.An optimistic take on climate change, a breath of fresh air next to the usual narrative. It keeps me motivated by showing that what we do makes a difference.