When will world realize zero population growth?

by N.drew 13 years ago 44 Replies latest 13 years ago social current

• 

  Bungi Bill 13 years ago

  A few cautionary statements need to be included regarding alternative energy sources, particularly that of the nuclear "cold fusion" process.

  Nobody has been able to replicate Pons and Fleischmann's experiment of 1989, leading the scientific community in general to treat the process with deep scepticism - to say the least (with some categorizing it in a class similar to alchemy!). This despite more recent publicity about work being carried out at the University of Bologna, by Andrea Rossi (Nov 3, 2011).

  To date, exploitation of the shale oil deposits has been limited to the drawing off of the natuaral gas pockets which form around the shale - and which release after the rock has been shattered by hydraulic action ("fracked"). This is similar to the extraction of the coal seam gas that is carried out in Australia's Central Queensland Coal Fields;

  - it is a process which leaves the primary source of the energy behind (In the case of the oil shale, this amounts to some 15 - 40% of what potentially could be recovered).

  Many of the popular cliches are also quite true, including the old adage "Necessity is the Mother of Invention." However, care needs to be excercised when presenting something that is just a possibilty:

  - "Could" does not necessarily always add up to "Shall". (More's the pity!)

  Bill.

  Link
• 

  james_woods 13 years ago

  A few cautionary statements need to be included regarding alternative energy sources, particularly that of the nuclear "cold fusion" process.

  Nobody has been able to replicate Pons and Fleischmann's experiment of 1989, leading the scientific community in general to treat the process with deep scepticism - to say the least (with some categorizing it in a class similar to alchemy!).

  To say the very, very least. Cold Fusion was an underhanded con scheme at the very best and it is sad that some people are still promoting it today.

  Link
• 

  metatron 13 years ago

  Uh..... no

  You have NOT kept current with recent events.

  First, the recent BP projection about world energy trends has predicted that the US may be energy independent in 20 years due to expansion of shale gas drilling. There has been rapid expansion of drilling in the Bakken formation, the Eagle and the Marcellus. If they don't pan out, there's the Utica formation. Anyhow, this is not some wild eyed fringe idea anymore. The US may become free of imported energy in 20 years, according to authoritative sources.

  Second, the wrongful suppression of "cold fusion" appears to be coming to an end. Eugene Mallove protested and resigned from MIT after they falsified results of negative 'Cold Fusion' results years ago. I believe he may have paid with his life for his advocacy of this cause, as his murder remains a 'cold case file', unsolved. However, MIT recently posted positive information about 'Cold Fusion' as well as NASA. See:

  http://coldfusionnow.wordpress.com/2012/02/01/successful-cold-fusionlanr-demonstration-at-mit-again/

  The current Energy Secretary has predicted much better batteries in 5 years, so the Obama Administration may be dragging their feet about nat gas development, expecting electric cars to vastly expand.

  I've kinda given up on Cerametec (owned by Coors beer) which promised a practical sodium sulfur battery for home use. Maybe, maybe...

  I've omitted a number of more speculative developments on this topic. If you think I'm wrong I suggest you Google these topics and examine current news, not old, inaccurate material.

  metatron

  Link
• 

  Razziel 13 years ago

  Until (unless we expand our horizons off this planet, not if, but when) we are wiped out by something extraordinary like a meteor or supervolcano, the human race will go on much as it always has. Even then, though much of the population would die, I doubt the human race would be exterminated unless the Earth was completely obliterated.

  I believe Global Warming is real in the sense that we are greatly accelerating the natural warming cycle of the Earth. But people will relocate, certain areas will become desolate, other places will become arable, and we will adapt as we always have. A certain percentage of the population will suffer a disproportionate amount of the hardships, as they always have. As fossil fuels become more expensive to explore and recover, energy production actually becomes less of a problem for the environment, because alternative clean sources become more economical to research and harness.

  In general, I think technology will at least keep lock-step with our changing environment, growing population and resource requirements for economical reasons, and probably a step ahead because of the few visionaries that each generation produces. My general view is the scenery and the tools may change, but if you want a look at the future, you have to look no further than the past.

  Link
• 

  Bungi Bill 13 years ago

  I have been hearing about electric cars since the days of the second oil crisis (1979 - 1980), when we were told with confidence that "within two years, the electricians will be making the cars." Older people report that similar predictions about electric cars were being made over 60 years ago. For a time, I worked in the testing laboratory for a major battery manufacturing company (Century Yuasa). At that stage, much research was being carried out into alternative types of batteries, and high hopes were being held for the possibilities of the fuel cell. Twenty odd years down the track, though, it is still the lead-acid cell that proves to be the most practical one - albiet in a more refined form (i.e. maintenance free).

  Battery powered forklifts excepted , I will believe battery powered cars taking over from those with internal combustion engines only when I see it happen.

  (Oh, and I did forget, the buggies used for mobility by some disabled people . I won't be trading my car in for one, though - not just yet!).

  Crystal ball gazing about such matters as alternative energy sources has proven most difficult, and caution is advised (look at New Zealand's much-hyped synthetic fuel project of the early 1980s - sold off by fire sale after being painted white and adorned with a trunk!).

  Bill.

  Bill.

  Link