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Recent Posts
- Rare Earth updates: recent research on why complex & intelligent life are rare in the Universe
- Book review of “Chip War” and the Fragility of microchips
- The tremendous material and energy toll of the digital economy
- Nuclear attack on U.S. could kill 90% of Americans
- What percent of Americans are rational?
- Book review of Lights Out. A Cyberattack. A Nation Unprepared. Surviving the Aftermath
- Off-Road vehicles & equipment need diesel fuel
- Book review of “Prime Movers of Globalization: the History & Impact of Diesel Engines & Gas Turbines”
- Mental Health. Coping with the future: notes from Jackson & Jensen’s “An Inconvenient Apocalypse”
- Tesla Semi trucks hauling corn chips
- What is the plan for an electric grid outage that lasts for months?
- Where to be? Links to Superfund, hazardous waste and other toxic sites in U.S.
- Why methanol cannot replace petroleum in shipping
- Why is everyone afraid of AI taking over? It makes stuff up!
- Do you want to eat, drink, or fly?
Category Archives: Scientists
Underestimating the Challenges of Avoiding a Ghastly Future
Preface. This is another “Scientists Warnings to Humanity” by many famous scientists, including Paul & Anne Erlich, John Harte, Peter Raven, and Mathis Wackernagel. Some of the challenges they point to are loss of biodiversity and consequent 6th mass extinction, … Continue reading
Posted in Scientists, Scientists Warnings to Humanity
Tagged biodiversity, overpopulation
6 Comments
Homer-Dixon predicts 20 to 30% chance of Trump causing financial crisis, war, civil violence, and authoritarianism over next 5 years
[ Homer-Dixon wrote an article over a year ago for the Toronto Globe and Mail titled “Crisis analysis, how much damage can Trump do? (A lot). How’d his prediction turn out? Within this article is a link showing 4 major … Continue reading
Posted in Crash Coming Soon, Scientists, Social Disorder, War
Tagged authoritarianism, civil violence, financial crash, Trump, war
1 Comment
Limits to Growth is on schedule. Collapse likely around 2020
[Unfortunately, this is not an April Fool’s joke… Other articles on Limits to Growth 2017-5-16 The Fallacy of Endless Economic Growth What economists around the world get wrong about the future Ugo Bardi. October 2015. Malthus the prophet of doom. … Continue reading
Posted in 2) Collapse, Limits To Growth, Scientists
Tagged collapse, limits to growth, peak everything
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Global oil risks in the early 21st century, Energy Policy 2011
[This is a large excerpt from an excellent 18-page paper I think predicts how the future will unfold as well as a good overview of our predicament. Alice Friedemann] Fantazzini, Dean; Höök, Mikael; Angelantoni, André. 2011. Global oil risks in … Continue reading
Posted in Other Experts, Peak Oil, Scientists, Scientists Warnings to Humanity
Tagged contracting economy, debt, Export Land Model, food and fuel riots, peak oil, pensions, social welfare programs, supply chains
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Naomi Oreskes on “The Collapse of Western Civilization”
A Chronicler of Warnings Denied: Naomi Oreskes Imagines the Future History of Climate Change By Claudia Dreifus, Oct 27, 2014, New York Times “I get from the scientific community a feeling that things are going from bad to worse. I … Continue reading
Posted in Climate Change, Scientists, Scientists Warnings to Humanity
Tagged climate change, collapse, free market, merchants of doubt oreskes, prevent regulation
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Homer-Dixon Key findings on resources and war / violence
The Project on Environmental Scarcities, State Capacity, and Civil Violence Key Findings Abot 50 experts from 5 countries, developed a detailed set of conceptual tools for thinking about environmental scarcity and state capacity. Environmental scarcity has 3 sources: reduced resource … Continue reading
Posted in 2) Collapse, Caused by Scarce Resources, Collapsed & collapsing nations, Scientists, Stages of, Violence, War
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Energy return on investment, peak oil, and the end of economic growth
David J. Murphy and Charles A. S. Hall. 2011. Energy return on investment, peak oil, and the end of economic growth in “Ecological Economics Reviews.” Robert Costanza, Karin Limburg & Ida Kubiszewski, Eds. Annals of the New York Academy of … Continue reading
Posted in Charles A. S. Hall, EROEI Energy Returned on Energy Invested, EROEI remaining oil too low, How Much Left, Peak Oil, Scientists
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Predictions by scientists and engineers
Charles A. Hall and David J. Murphy. Predictions for 2011 We predict (with relatively little certainty assigned to it) that there will continue to be (for a while) a mild economic recovery, which will increase the demand for oil, and … Continue reading
Posted in Scientists
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Marty Hoffert predicts feudal economy at best, hunter-gatherer at worst from future climate change
Marty Hoffert, is an emeritus physics professor at NYU and energy researcher, who wrote one of the most important articles on potential energy resources that could replace fossil fuels sent this note by e-mail: However welcome the news may be … Continue reading
Posted in Climate Change, Scientists
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The Future of Humanity: a Lecture by Isaac Asimov
The Future of Humanity: a Lecture by Isaac Asimov Newark College of Engineering, November 8, 1974 http://www.asimovonline.com/oldsite/future_of_humanity.html [I’ve truncated most of this very long article] We wouldn’t be in the mess we’re in [if people weren’t stupid, illustrated with humorous … Continue reading
Posted in Scientists
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