An in-depth look at the people and the science behind our attempts to pull carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere with direct air capture. Drawing on interviews with stakeholders at the intersection of climate science, energy technology, and public policy, Paul McKendrick's investigation traces more than 20 years of technological development with direct air capture, from Biosphere 2; to multi-million dollar promises from Richard Branson, Bill Gates, and Elon Musk; to the opening of Orca, the world's largest commercial direct air capture facility, in Iceland in 2021. The question of what will be necessary for direct air capture to reach a meaningful scale, and how much it will cost, has fueled intense scientific and political debate, and spurred a value chain that spans finance, industry, technology, policy, and academia. McKendrick's clear and riveting prose presents the full story of this fascinating pursuit for the first time, inviting readers to learn more about this critical climate intervention option.

Second Edition

"MacKendrick writes so enthusiastically that all laymen who have a serious interest in scholarship and antiquity will delight in following his story." —New York Times Book Review

"An intelligible, well-told tale that recounts . . . what excavators and scholars using the full repertory of modern skills and techniques have in recent years discovered about the remains of an ancient civilization in Italy and what the discoveries mean." —C. H. Kraeling

Second Edition, Revised and Enlarged

"A brilliant picture of the activity of the renowned centers of the Hellenic world, period by period, together with striking views of the workings of modern excavations . . . an excellent story of Greek achievement." —American Historical Review

"Paul MacKendrick has a thrilling tale to tell. . . . His book is for those who want an authoritative exposition of what archaeologists are accomplishing in Greek lands." —New York Times Book Review