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.

Menhaden: the fish at the bottom of the ocean food web

Posted on August 2, 2024 by

Preface. Oil has allowed us to extract 90% of the fish in the ocean by being able to go to the ends of the earth using sonar and spotting planes to find the last schools. Menhaden have been overfished for … Continue reading →

Posted in Biodiversity Loss, Fisheries, Jobs and Skills, Starvation | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Colonization of Mars & The Moon: a book review of “A City On Mars”

Posted on July 19, 2024 by

Preface. There are so many difficulties to overcome to colonize Mars. If the astronauts can even survive the bombardment of radiation on the way there. Where would the energy come from? There is no flowing water for hydropower. Wind and … Continue reading →

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Fill ‘er up with kelp?

Posted on July 12, 2024 by

Preface. Here are just a few of the dozens of reasons why seaweed can’t make a dent in energy supplies: A negative return on investment like corn ethanol No commercial biofuels are being made from it. Kelp is mainly used … Continue reading →

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Peak Potassium threatens crops

Posted on June 28, 2024 by

Potassium is one of the Big 3 essential plant nutrients that has allowed human population to soar to 8 billion people,as well as phosphorus and nitrogen. Potassium is a vital nutrient for plant growth that helps with photosynthesis and respiration, … Continue reading →

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Permafrost & lack of gravel will limit arctic natural gas, oil, and coal extraction

Posted on June 21, 2024 by

Preface. For many people, it’s comforting to know that about 25% of remaining oil and gas reserves (we have the know-how and economics to get it) and resources (beyond our technical and/or monetary capability) are in the arctic. They assume … Continue reading →

Posted in Arctic, EROEI remaining oil too low, How Much Left, Peak Natural Gas, Peak Oil, Reserves Lower than stated, Roads, Transportation Infrastructure | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Permafrost & lack of gravel will limit arctic natural gas, oil, and coal extraction

World Scientists’ Warning: Ecological Overshoot & Human nature

Posted on May 31, 2024 by

Preface.  It is rare for a mainstream newspaper to bring up overshoot, so congratulations to the scientific paper of Merz et al (2023) for appearing in The Guardian.  It is so frustrating for those of us who are ecologically aware … Continue reading →

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The pillaging of Native American coal, water, uranium and more

Posted on May 24, 2024 by

Preface. This is a book review of: “Unreal City: Las Vegas, Black Mesa, and the Fate of the West” by Judith Nies.  This book is about how stealing the resources of native Americans lands was made legal, despite enormous Native … Continue reading →

Posted in An Index of Best Energyskeptic Posts, Biodiversity Loss, Coal, Energy Books, Energy Infrastructure, Global Warming, Infrastructure & Fast Crash, Mass migrations, Peak Resources, Pumped Hydro Storage (PHS), U.S. Congress Energy Policy, Water Pollution | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The pillaging of Native American coal, water, uranium and more

“Star Wars” missile defense won’t stop incoming nukes

Posted on May 10, 2024 by

Preface.  In a recent Russian attack, Ukrainian air defenders intercepted less than half of the kamikaze drones, ballistic and cruise missiles launched (Korshak 2024). So it seems that Reagan’s impossible “Star Wars” missile defense system worked out after all.  Well, … Continue reading →

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Lab-grown meat is energy intensive – and up to 25 times worse for the climate than beef

Posted on May 3, 2024 by

Preface.  Meat production from animals uses a great deal of energy to produce, distribute, and refrigerate. Crops must be grown that erode soil and drain aquifers. Unfortunately, lab grown meat uses even more energy and also requires crops to extract … Continue reading →

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The Biblical Revelations, critical thinking, and how this affects us today

Posted on April 26, 2024 by

  Preface.  This is a book review of Ehrman’s 2023 Armageddon: What the Bible Really Says about the End. Ehrman is a very devout biblical scholar who  explains brilliantly what Revelations and other verses in the bible mean within their … Continue reading →

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