--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Mankind has always drawn from outside…" description: "\"Mankind has always drawn from outside sources of energy. This island was the first to harness coal and steam. But our present sources stand in the rati..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca5/frederick-soddy-16246_atomic-energy_mankind-has-always-drawn-from-outside-so_1534148.jpg" --- # Mankind has always drawn from outside sources of energy… ![“Mankind has always drawn from outside sources of energy. This island was the first to harness coal and steam. But our present sources stand in the ratio of a million to one, compared with any previous sources. The release of atomic energy will change the whole structure of society.” quote by Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca5/frederick-soddy-16246_atomic-energy_mankind-has-always-drawn-from-outside-so_1534148.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca5/frederick-soddy-16246_atomic-energy_mankind-has-always-drawn-from-outside-so_1534148.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca5/frederick-soddy-16246_atomic-energy_mankind-has-always-drawn-from-outside-so_1534148.jpg) > “Mankind has always drawn from outside sources of energy. This island was the first to harness coal and steam. But our present sources stand in the ratio of a million to one, compared with any previous sources. The release of atomic energy will change the whole structure of society.” [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The shift to atomic energy will radically reshape society because its power density dwarfs all previous fuels. **In simple terms:** Atomic power will transform society. Key Takeaway Prepare for societal change driven by high‑density energy. Themes energy technology societal change progress environment Mood cautious optimistic Type analytical predictive When to use this quote - policy planning - energy infrastructure - environmental strategy - economic forecasting Key Concepts physics energy economics industrial revolution Questions to Reflect On - How will societies ensure equitable access to atomic energy? - What safeguards are needed for such powerful technology? A Different Perspective Transition may cause disruption and inequality if not managed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atomic energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atomic-energy/) [Coal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coal/) [Energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energy/) [Energy Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energy-change-1521629/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Harness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harness/) [Islands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/islands/) [Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind/) [Millions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/millions/) [Ratios](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ratios/) [Release](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/release/) [Source](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/source/) [Sources Energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sources-energy-247991/) [Steam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steam/) [Structure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/structure/) [Whole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole/) ## Related quotes > [One day he (Einstein) said that the only mechanical force more powerful than steam, electricity and atomic energy is will. That Alberto bloke was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-mourinho/one-day-he-einstein-said-that-the-only-mechanical-force-more-powerful-2/) [Jose Mourinho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-mourinho/) > [One day he (Einstein) said that the only mechanical force more powerful than steam, electricity and atomic energy is will. That Albert guy was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-mourinho/one-day-he-einstein-said-that-the-only-mechanical-force-more-powerful/) [Jose Mourinho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-mourinho/) > [I believe that there have been civilisations in the past that were familiar with atomic energy, and that by misusing it they were totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/i-believe-that-there-have-been-civilisations-in-the-past-that-were/) [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) > [ \[The human control of atomic energy could\] virtually provide anyone who wanted it with a private sun of his own. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/the-human-control-of-atomic-energy-could-virtually-provide-anyone-who/) [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) > [We cannot be born, and we cannot die. Like all energy, we can only change shapes and sizes and manifestations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/we-cannot-be-born-and-we-cannot-die-like-all-energy-we-can-only/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“There is magic in motion. There is energy in change. There is something in all of us to make a difference in anyway, everyday.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-brown/there-is-magic-in-motion-there-is-energy-in-change-there-is-something/) [Doug Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-brown/) > [I couldn't snap my fingers and change how much money I had in the bank or how much experience I had - but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-serhant/i-couldn-t-snap-my-fingers-and-change-how-much-money-i-had-in-the/) [Ryan Serhant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-serhant/) > [Worry is a waste of energy. It cant change the past. It cant control the future. It only makes today miserable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/worry-is-a-waste-of-energy-it-cant-change-the-past-it-cant-control/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [“Anger has two benefits: it provides a warning and the necessary energy for change.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc/anger-has-two-benefits-it-provides-a-warning-and-the-necessary-energy/) [David W. Earle LPC](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-lpc/) > [“You cannot change others, all you can do is change yourself. If there’s something in your life you don’t like; it’s up to you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thewolfmyinnersoul-arven/you-cannot-change-others-all-you-can-do-is-change-yourself-if-there-s/) [TheWolfmyinnerSoul - Arven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thewolfmyinnersoul-arven/) > [Too many of us dissipate our energy by being 'for all good causes,' attending meetings and passing resolutions, organizing and presenting petitions — all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ammon-hennacy/too-many-of-us-dissipate-our-energy-by-being-for-all-good-causes/) [Ammon Hennacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ammon-hennacy/) > [I try to focus on using my energy to change things, but there are times when I feel so bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-phelps-roper/i-try-to-focus-on-using-my-energy-to-change-things-but-there-are/) [Megan Phelps-Roper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-phelps-roper/) > [Your feelings or lack of energy, can change drastically in hours, or even minutes! And YOU have the power to change it all!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/your-feelings-or-lack-of-energy-can-change-drastically-in-hours-or/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I strongly agree with Vice President Gore that we cannot drill our way to energy independence, but must fast-track investments in renewable sources of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-strongly-agree-with-vice-president-gore-that-we-cannot-drill-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We need to reduce our dependence on foreign sources of energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-dent/we-need-to-reduce-our-dependence-on-foreign-sources-of-energy/) [Charlie Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-dent/) ## More by Frederick Soddy > [The pure air and dazzling snow belong to things beyond the reach of all personal feeling, almost beyond the reach of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/the-pure-air-and-dazzling-snow-belong-to-things-beyond-the-reach-of/) [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) > [It is probable that all heavy matter possesses - latent and bound up with the structure of the atom - a similar quantity of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/it-is-probable-that-all-heavy-matter-possesses-latent-and-bound-up/) [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) > [Innumerable entirely new compounds have been produced in the last century. The artificial dye-stuffs, prepared from materials occurring in coal-tar, make the natural colours…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/innumerable-entirely-new-compounds-have-been-produced-in-the-last/) [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) > [There is something sublime about its aloofness from and its indifference to its external environment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/there-is-something-sublime-about-its-aloofness-from-and-its/) [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) > [An honest money system is the only alternative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/an-honest-money-system-is-the-only-alternative/) [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) > [ \[The human control of atomic energy could\] virtually provide anyone who wanted it with a private sun of his own. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/the-human-control-of-atomic-energy-could-virtually-provide-anyone-who/) [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) > [There has been no discovery like it in the history of man. It puts into man's hands the key to using the fundamental energy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/there-has-been-no-discovery-like-it-in-the-history-of-man-it-puts/) [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) > [ \[The blame for the future 'plight of civilization\] must rest on scientific men, equally with others, for being incapable of accepting the responsibility for… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/the-blame-for-the-future-plight-of-civilization-must-rest-on/) [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) > [In so far as such developments utilise the natural energy running to waste, as in water power, they may be accounted as pure gain.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/in-so-far-as-such-developments-utilise-the-natural-energy-running-to/) [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) > [Some of the beliefs and legends bequethed to us by Antquity are so universally and firmly established that we have become accustomed to consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/some-of-the-beliefs-and-legends-bequethed-to-us-by-antquity-are-so/) [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) > [With all our mastery over the powers of Nature we have adhered to the view that the struggle for existence is a permanent and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/with-all-our-mastery-over-the-powers-of-nature-we-have-adhered-to-the/) [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) > [Four circles to the kissing come, The smaller are the benter. The bend is just the inverse of The distance from the centre. Though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/four-circles-to-the-kissing-come-the-smaller-are-the-benter-the-bend/) [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) > [The dropping of the Atomic Bomb is a very deep problem... Instead of commemorating Hiroshima we should celebrate... man's triumph over the problem \[of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/the-dropping-of-the-atomic-bomb-is-a-very-deep-problem-instead-of/) [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) > [Physical science enjoys the distinction of being the most fundamental of the experimental sciences, and its laws are obeyed universally, so far as is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/physical-science-enjoys-the-distinction-of-being-the-most-fundamental/) [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) > [It is curious to reflect, for example, upon the remarkable legend of the Philosopher's Stone, one of the oldest and most universal beliefs, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/it-is-curious-to-reflect-for-example-upon-the-remarkable-legend-of/) [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) [Explore all 40 Frederick Soddy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) ## More Atomic energy quotes > [The pace of science forces the pace of technique. Theoretical physics forces atomic energy on us; the successful production of the fission bomb forces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-pace-of-science-forces-the-pace-of-technique-theoretical-physics/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Emancipate yourself from mental slavery, None but ourselves can free our minds. Have no fear for atomic energy, 'Cause none of them can stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-marley/emancipate-yourself-from-mental-slavery-none-but-ourselves-can-free/) [Bob Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-marley/) > [The release of atomic energy has not created a new problem. It has merely made more urgent the necessity of solving an existing one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-release-of-atomic-energy-has-not-created-a-new-problem-it-has/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [This is the age of electrical energy. The age of atomic energy hasn't really dawned yet, not in the way that atomic energy has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/this-is-the-age-of-electrical-energy-the-age-of-atomic-energy-hasn-t/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [The International Atomic Energy Agency is controlling this, the sanctions against Iran are lifted - but still the US are working on their missile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/the-international-atomic-energy-agency-is-controlling-this-the/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [We live technologically, with man as the master of nature, man as the engineer, and let anyone who raises his voice against it stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-frisch/we-live-technologically-with-man-as-the-master-of-nature-man-as-the/) [Max Frisch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-frisch/) > [In the increasingly mechanized, automated, cybernated environment of the modern world a cold, bodiless world of wheels, smooth plastic surfaces, tubes, pushbuttons, transistors, computers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eldridge-cleaver/in-the-increasingly-mechanized-automated-cybernated-environment-of/) [Eldridge Cleaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eldridge-cleaver/) > [There is no likelihood man can ever tap the power of the atom. The glib supposition of utilizing atomic energy when our coal has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-andrews-millikan/there-is-no-likelihood-man-can-ever-tap-the-power-of-the-atom-the/) [Robert Andrews Millikan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-andrews-millikan/) > [Almost all of the governments have agreed that they will not acquire nuclear weapons and that they will allow the International Atomic Energy Agency…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/almost-all-of-the-governments-have-agreed-that-they-will-not-acquire/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [We have got to accept Big Government for the duration-for neither an offensive nor a defensive war can be waged, given our present government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-f-buckley-jr/we-have-got-to-accept-big-government-for-the-duration-for-neither-an/) [William F. Buckley, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-f-buckley-jr/) > [The big problem for atomic energy is that it can't compete on price with the new age of cheap shale gas and, to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-moore/the-big-problem-for-atomic-energy-is-that-it-can-t-compete-on-price/) [Stephen Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-moore/) > [Private enterprise did not get us atomic energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/private-enterprise-did-not-get-us-atomic-energy/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [ \[The human control of atomic energy could\] virtually provide anyone who wanted it with a private sun of his own. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/the-human-control-of-atomic-energy-could-virtually-provide-anyone-who/) [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) > [It is critically important that Iran should not develop nuclear weapons. And that the necessary interventions need to be made by the International Atomic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/it-is-critically-important-that-iran-should-not-develop-nuclear/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [Few nations have been as reliant on nuclear power as Korea. In many ways, cheap and reliable atomic energy helped make possible the 'miracle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-moore/few-nations-have-been-as-reliant-on-nuclear-power-as-korea-in-many/) [Stephen Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-moore/) [Browse all 61 Atomic energy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atomic-energy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Mankind has always drawn from outside sources of energy. This island was the first to harness coal and steam. But our present sources stand in the ratio of a million to one, compared with any previous sources. 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