In the technological world of the twenty-first century, few peo• ple can truly imagine the challenges faced by prehistoric people as they tried to cope with their natural environment. Thousands of years ago life was a daily struggle to find, store, and cook food, stay warm and clothed, and generally survive to an "old age" equal to that of most of today's college students. A common image of prehistoric life is that of dirty and ill-clad people huddled around
a smoky campfire outside a cave in an ongoing effort to stay warm
and dry and to stop the rumbling in their bellies.

The "caves" of the twenty-first century are a little cozier. The typical person, at least in more developed countries, wakes up each morning in a reasonably comfortable house because the gas, pro• pane, or electric heating system (or electric air-conditioner) has operated automatically overnight. A warm shower awaits because of hot water heaters powered by electricity or natural gas, and hair dries quickly (and stylishly) under an electric hair dryer. An electric iron takes the wrinkles out of the clean shirt that sat overnight in the electric clothes dryer. Milk for a morning bowl
of cereal remains fresh in an electric refriger..ator, and it costs
pennies per bowl thanks to electrically powered milking opera-
tions on modern dairy farms. The person then, goes to the garage (after turning off all the electric ).ights in • the house), hits the electric garage door opener, and' gets into his or her gasoline• powered car for the drive to work-perhaps 'tn an office building that consumes power for lighting, heating and air-conditioning, copiers, coffeemakers,and computers. Later, an electric, propane, or natural gas stove is used to cook dinner.

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