Whether we’re staring into the depths of a campfire or watching
a Space Shuttle burn 500,000 gallons of fuel as it rises off the
launchpad, mankind’s obsession with fire is so innate we almost
take it for granted. Yet fire has catalyzed the human race’s most
significant innovations. It’s helped us survive. It’s helped usflourish. It’s given us one hell of a backyard toy (see “That’s
Right: I Built a Flamethrower,” page 78). Yet the path that took us
from hunching around a lightning-struck tree for warmth to carrying
lighters in our pockets has many reminders of fire’s volatility—from the epic scope of The Great Chicago Fire to the explosion of
the oil rig Deepwater Horizon. Fire comes with a big fat warning
sticker, but nonetheless, it’s man’s most essential tool.72 December 2019