If tomorrow someone unveiled to the world a source of nearly free (say 1/10 of current energy production costs), unlimited sources of clean energy, how do you think the world would turn the day after? Considering how much of the world is enslaved by the need for energy if it was removed from the struggle what would fill the void? Would the world see the source of energy as a threat (particularly the world that depends on selling oil) or would there be much rejoicing and hereto unheard of peace and prosperity?
said...
Sounds like it came from a SF book. Either that, or just a question posed to make people think. If it is true, then a hell of alot of things are going to change. What is it? Biofuel? I'd like to know were it came from.
-J in O
said...
Absolute power currupts absolutely.In my humble opinion there might be a period of much rejoicing but after the powers that be figure out a way to control it and charge for it the rejoicing will taper off conciderably,now the powers that be might not be those that currently control the oil or monetary systems of the world but I'm pretty sure someone would step forward with that kind of power and or money at stake.
Unc. T.L.
EvilDrGrignard said...
Is it really power still if it is widely avalible If it is as ubiquitous as air then I can't see it being something easy to be controled by the few like oil is now. My thoughts is that the world would erupt into massive chaos starting in middle east and Africa and moving outwards in the form of civil unrest and terrorism. If it were handled correctly and that economies could be established that weren't life and death dependant on the trade of oil then I think this technology would be a boon to mankind (until some other thing was discovered that was limited and we just had to have). This idea came from reading about the guy out of MIT (I think?) that claims to have invented an energy source that has only one problem. It defines the laws of quantum physics as they are known currently. (It supposes that the distance of an electron from the nucleus in Hydrogen is much more flexible than currently believed). It is still under review and I hope it doesn't turn into another roomtemp fussion hoax.
EvilDrGrignard said...
Whangst, I looked up Ultraviolet Catastrophe on Wikipedia, read the short article and my head exploded at the end. I expect you to buy me a beer after that torture.
I think the presence of a powerful pandemic flu is just around the corner. I see things about birdflu in the newspapers everyday here. All it takes is for a mutation to occur that allows this flu to be mutually carried in both birds and in humans and I think we are in for another 1918 sized flu that killed 700K in the US and 40mil world-wide. It's only a question of luck if it doesn't happen because all the vectors are certainly there. Overcrowding, bad agribusiness instead of agriculture..
best,
lil'-d
said...
Earth as we know it would stop dead in its tracks, mass chaos would take immediate effect, and I still wouldn't have a girlfriend.
I think at first every business related to oil (gas stations, trucking companies, oil refineries, ocean liners, etc.) would shit itself, but eventually things could smooth itself out. Once the government and whoever else that likes to make money get a grip on it, it will be just as expensive as oil. If lets say for example water is this clean energy source, water will be $35 dollars a barrel in 2060... and we'd all be driving cars that could be potentially explosives on wheels.
… or we’d finally be at peace and Jesus would finally come pay us a visit.
said...
I just read everybody elses comments after I posted, and chaos seemed to be the word everone thought of. Just thought I'd clarify that.