Charles C. Mann has written about the intersection of science, technology, and commerce for many newspapers, magazines and books. His latest book, The Wizard and the Prophet, is about two scientists and their dueling predictions about the future of our planet.
The prophet of the title is a scientist named William Vogt--an ecologist and ornithologist, with a strong interest in conservation and population control. And the wizard is Nobel Peace Prize winner, Norman Borlaug, who is credited for saving millions of lives through wheat improvement. I caught up with Mann to talk about his book, the two scientists, and both schools of thought.
Here’s our conversation:
And if you listened to the commentary on air, this is what you heard:
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The Wizard and the Prophet: Two Remarkable Scientists and Their Dueling Visions to Shape Tomorrow's World by Charles C. Mann was published by Knopf.
Marginalia was produced at KMUW Wichita. Edited by Lu Anne Stephens; produced by Beth Golay.
