The Dark Planets Conjecture

Why haven’t we detected any evidence of alien intelligences yet? The wallpaper on one of my computers is the composite picture NASA published in 2000 of the entire earth at night. The amount of light visible from space is at once beautiful and intriguing, and it makes me wonder how much energy we waste by unintentionally beaming it into space, whether it is light, infrared radiation (heat), or radio waves. Looking back through human history, it is clear that, as a species, we used comparatively little of our planet’s resources before the industrial revolution, and I suspect the view from space back then showed very little human-made light, if any. Then I contemplate the probability that, in the absence of any great new energy-producing technology (fusion?), we will run down our available fossil fuel sources over the coming decades, driving the price up to the point where fewer and fewer people and organizations can afford to use and waste energy as we do today. In another century or two we may be conserving energy to such an extent that we will have to stop our light, heat, and radio waves from dissipating into space, and the planet may return to the way it appeared before the industrial revolution. This brings up some interesting questions about our universe.

The Lights of the City Aren’t the Same to Me Any More

As a young man I sometimes drove to a high spot in town after dark, a park from which you could look out over the city, and parked my car to enjoy the twinkling of the city lights spread out before me.  It was a beautiful sight, and I could only marvel at what humanity had created.  I’ve learned a lot and thought a lot since then, however, and it all looks different to me now, or least, it provokes different thoughts and perceptions. 

Is Denying Global Warming Worth the Risk?

While many accept the proclamations by scientists that global warming is a very real risk, there are many, including some scientists, who deny the possibility for an assortment of reasons.  Some of their arguments are quite persuasive, while others are just reactionary conspiracy theories, wacky talk radio lies and spin.  As I read new studies coming out every year, I have to wonder if denying global warming based on some irrational hatred of Al Gore or NASA climate scientist Jim Hansen makes sense.  Associated press ran a pair of articles today that I found particularly interesting (link) (link).   When I think of the consequences of being wrong about global warming, I have to think we should plan accordingly.  While I may be being taken in, I am hedging my bets in the long run.  I will certainly keep my senses alert to further research and continue to learn as much as I can.  I encourage anyone reading this to do the same.

As always, your comments are welcome.  It is only through our thoughtful collaboration that we can mitigate the enormous risks we are facing from overpopulation, resulting climate change and pollution, and the efforts of the greedy, ignorant, and misled.  May we all enjoy an increasingly sustainable, tolerant, healthy, and happy world in the future.  We will have to work for it.

Future Cost Increases for Fossil Fuels Will Change Architecture

My new job puts me in a large windowless warehouse-like building, much of which has been turned into office space, cube farms with offices embedded in the walls nearby.  At any given time nobody inside knows if it is raining or if the sun is shining, if it’s day or night.  As in most commercial buildings, the lights and ventilation fans run almost all the time, which seems costly.  One nearby building has a small wind turbine on it that runs a lot of the time, however, and another I see near work has a solar panel on the roof.   All that has made me consider what the buildings of thirty years from now will be like.  Certainly they will be quite different, and I expect the inevitable rise in the cost of fossil fuels, and all energy sources “in sympathy”, to be an important influence on their architecture.  So what will commercial buildings be like in the future?