From my bed, I can hear a noise outside that is most likely a confluence of insects and distant freight trains but sounds errily like the static-laden cacophany of an old radio. I would go out to see what it is, but a small part of me is worried I might end up living out an episode of “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” if I do.

It seems silly to me that we humans create thermal energy with coal, convert the thermal energy to mechanical energy with steam turbines, convert the mechanical energy to electrical energy with generators, and convert the electrical energy back into thermal energy with glass-top stoves and electric heaters.