Ditching Dualism #5: Revolutions
Let us humbly receive the minimal (experimentally validated) foundation that can plausibly account for everything we experience, even if we can’t ourselves connect all the dots. Trust the universe, not our brains.
Tom Murphy
Humanity’s Six Foundational Technologies
Consider the staggering impact that the invention of cordage and textiles has had on human development. Hank Green has added them to his list of the ‘foundational’ technologies of our species. (Plus a note on the use of AI.)
The fusion future that may never arrive
Fusion is periodically touted as the next big thing in energy. Even if it proves commercially feasible someday, that day is far off.
Informers: The new drive to get Americans to spy on one another
We are now witnessing at least the fourth attempt in the United States in the last century or so to create a vast network of citizen spies.
Some key metals are byproducts of mining other metals; that’s a problem
Not every important metal comes from its own mines. Here’s why that’s important.
Proposed East Texas water pipeline and the growing thirst for distant water
East Texas farmers and ranchers are finding out to their dismay that water has become a commodity like so many of our daily needs.
From Shanghai with energy
Can China face the challenges awaiting humankind in the near future?
Tehran contemplates “evacuation” as many cities across the globe face water dilemmas
The world’s cities creep closer to actual water system collapse.
Washington denials and AI bailouts
The AI industry is fishing for a federal bailout. Why?
U.S.-China trade dispute resolution leaves China with huge leverage over global electronics industry
Even with the seeming resolution of the China-US trade war, China is still capable of denying key resources to the world’s electronics manufacturers at any time.
How did U.S. ‘energy dominance’ turn into rising domestic natural gas prices?
The natural gas industry promised Americans an endless abundance of gas. There’s lots of gas (for now), but it’s increasingly going elsewhere and that spells less gas and higher prices for Americans.
‘Newspeak’ comes to the Energy Department
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), now controlled by an oil industry insider, has put out its own Newspeak-like manual in the form of an email to department employees which is focused on subtracting words and phrases.
