The Cybercosm And The Environment
The IPCC Report
Fracking In Lancashire
In "The Cybercosm And The Environment," three requirements are listed, quoting from Poul Anderson's The Stars Are Also Fire:
the will (do we have that?);
an economic surplus (we have that);
a superhuman analysis and comprehension (we do not have that).
5 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I'm very interested to know fracking operations has started in the UK. My hope is that will lead to more and cheaper oil and energy for the people there. But, long term, my view remains that nuclear power and space based satellites beaming down solar energy is the way to go.
Sean
Sean,
I hope for more use of renewables: sun, wind, waves, maybe geothermal?
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
I'm sorry, but Jerry Pourelle's detailed analysis of what might reasonably be gained from using wind, waves, geothermal sources of energy caused him to dismiss those things as hopelessly inadequate. Solar power, if based on satellites in space beaming down energy, is another matter. That, and nuclear power, are the only really PRACTICAL means of obtaining the MASSIVE amounts of energy a high tech society needs.
Sean
Sean,
Solar, then. The sun radiates in every direction all the time. It is amazing to think of all that energy, only a tiny fraction of which lands on Earth.
People are using wind. There are a lot of windmills around here.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
AND nuclear power. I refuse to be bamboozled by hysterical, dishonest anti nuclear propaganda and demagoguery.
But windpower will never be of more than marginal utility. It's hopelessly inadequate for providing the energy needed by vast cities like London or New York. That was the point Pournelle was making.
Sean
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