Category Archives: 3) Fast Crash

The case for a fast, rather than a slow one. Most societies crashed in 20 years or less. There has never been or will be again a crash like ours, where the world of 7 billion people became utterly dependent on a non-renewable source of energy — fossil fuels.

Peak Gold

Posted on December 29, 2021 by

Preface.  Both articles below offer the usual techno-optimism of more gold supplies from Man’s Cleverness: robots, AI, and Big and Smart Data Mining. But both are energy blind. Ores are decreasing in gold concentrations, and found in deeper and more … Continue reading →

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Why do leaders & the public deny peak oil & limits to growth?

Posted on December 26, 2021 by

Preface.  It’s strange that we’re on the cusp of Peak Oil, and yet the only existential threat you ever hear about is Climate Change. The New York Times has mentioned climate change over 15,000 times the past 5 years, and … Continue reading →

Posted in 2) Collapse, Alternative Energy, An Overview, Critical Thinking, GOVERNMENT, Limits To Growth, Other Experts | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Freshwater fish under threat of extinction

Posted on December 20, 2021 by

Preface. A third of freshwater fish are under threat from pollution, over fishing, dams, non-native species, climate change, disruption of river ecology and more.  Alice Friedemann  www.energyskeptic.com  Author of Life After Fossil Fuels: A Reality Check on Alternative Energy; When … Continue reading →

Posted in Extinction, Fisheries | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Will Artificial Intelligence destroy us?

Posted on December 14, 2021 by

Preface. When it comes to artificial intelligence, most articles assume it will happen, so discussions range around when and how it will happen. Often speculation that a general AI may use its ability to find patterns in data will allow … Continue reading →

Posted in An Index of Best Energyskeptic Posts, Artificial Intelligence, Electric Grid, Electric Grid & Fast Collapse | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Book Review “The Outlawed Ocean” by Ian Urbina

Posted on December 8, 2021 by

Note: Peak fish happened in 1996 at 130 million tonnes a year. Pauly D, Zeller D (2016) Catch reconstructions reveal that global marine fisheries catches are higher than reported and declining. Nature communications. Preface. This is a book review of … Continue reading →

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Predicting who will become a violent terrorist

Posted on November 13, 2021 by

Preface. This study was clever in predicting the political and religious outlook of people using abstract tests that were not political or emotional, such as memorizing visual shapes. This study of worldviews was able to predict political preferences 4 to … Continue reading →

Posted in Critical Thinking, Politics | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Wanted: Math geniuses and power engineers to make a renewable grid possible

Posted on November 1, 2021 by

Figure 1. OPF solution of original seven-bus system with generator at bus 4 Preface. The U.S. electric grid produced 64% of electricity in 2019 with finite fossil fuels, and another 20% from nuclear power. Since fossil fuels and uranium are … Continue reading →

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How corporations used conservative religion to gain wealth & power & undo the New Deal

Posted on October 5, 2021 by

Source: Republican Jesus Preface. This is a book review of One Nation Under God: How Corporate America Invented Christian America by Kevin Kruse (2016), followed by excerpts from the book.  Much of this introduction is my take on what this … Continue reading →

Posted in Corruption, Corruption & Finance, Distribution of Wealth, Religion | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Green New Deal is not a solution for the real problem: Overshoot

Posted on October 2, 2021 by

Preface.  Seibert & Rees’ paper is very important.  And also well-written, unlike the usual scientific jargon perfect for putting you to sleep at night.  It’s short too. In just 13 pages Siebert and Rees cover the most important issues we … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate Change, Electric & Hydrogen trucks impossible, Limits To Growth, Manufacturing & Industrial Heat, Overpopulation, Overshoot, Peak Critical Elements, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Green New Deal is not a solution for the real problem: Overshoot

How will 500,000 products made with fossils as feedstock & process energy be created post fossil fuels?

Posted on September 29, 2021 by

Preface. It is quite likely that after fossils are gone, plastics will no longer be made, since they are incredibly complex – PhDs in numerous fields make them possible – and most kinds have been around for only 50 years … Continue reading →

Posted in Biomass, Manufacturing & Industrial Heat, Oil | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment