Open Side Menu Go to the Top
FAQ Today's Posts Search Twitter Discord
Register
Fission/limitless energy and the world political implications. Fission/limitless energy and the world political implications.
Subscribe
...
Page 1 of 3
First
Page 1 of 3
Go to page:
Go
1 2 3
Last
Go to page:
Go
Page 1 of 3
First
Page 1 of 3
Go to page:
Go
1 2 3
Last
Go to page:
Go
02-02-2010 , 12:44 PM
#1
Money2Burn
View Profile Send Message Find Posts By Money2Burn Find Threads By Money2Burn
Carpal \'Tunnel
Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 12,628
I just saw the thread on fusion over in SMP. Here, is the link to the article.

This got me thinking (this is scary, I know). Let's say these researchers actually succeed in creating fusion that we can harness the energy from and use. This would basically mean limitless energy for us correct? What implications would this have politically on a world stage? Would the Middle East become about as relevant as Africa?
02-02-2010 , 12:45 PM
#2
SenorKeeed's Avatar
SenorKeeed
View Profile Send Message Find Posts By SenorKeeed Find Threads By SenorKeeed
mew mew mew
Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 37,478
1945 called, it wants it's miracle energy source back...

You probably mean fusion.
02-02-2010 , 12:47 PM
#3
Money2Burn
View Profile Send Message Find Posts By Money2Burn Find Threads By Money2Burn
Carpal \'Tunnel
Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 12,628
LOL yeah my bad

Would a mod be so kind as to edit my title so I look a little less like a complete moron?
02-02-2010 , 12:54 PM
#4
bobman0330's Avatar
bobman0330
View Profile Send Message Find Posts By bobman0330 Find Threads By bobman0330
Carpal \'Tunnel
Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 24,234
Quote:
Originally Posted by Money2Burn
I just saw the thread on fusion over in SMP. Here, is the link to the article.

This got me thinking (this is scary, I know). Let's say these researchers actually succeed in creating fusion that we can harness the energy from and use. This would basically mean limitless energy for us correct? What implications would this have politically on a world stage? Would the Middle East become about as relevant as Africa?
There's a huge, huge gulf between "almost possible using current technology," which is where we are now, and "nearly free," which is where the huge earth-shaking consequences happen. It's especially huge when the technology that doesn't quite cut it is a gigantic multi-billion-dollar laser array.
02-02-2010 , 01:44 PM
#5
TheQuietAnarchist's Avatar
TheQuietAnarchist
View Profile Send Message Find Posts By TheQuietAnarchist Find Threads By TheQuietAnarchist
Formerly xorbie
Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 22,826
Limitless energy would mean we could finally have individual jetpacks. I for one welcome our new fusion overlords.
02-02-2010 , 01:50 PM
#6
Case Closed's Avatar
Case Closed
View Profile Find Posts By Case Closed Find Threads By Case Closed
self-banned
Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 19,112
I'm stilling waiting for the socio-political implications of turning energy into mass.
02-02-2010 , 01:55 PM
#7
TheQuietAnarchist's Avatar
TheQuietAnarchist
View Profile Send Message Find Posts By TheQuietAnarchist Find Threads By TheQuietAnarchist
Formerly xorbie
Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 22,826
Quote:
Originally Posted by Case Closed
I'm stilling waiting for the socio-political implications of turning energy into mass.


imo
02-02-2010 , 02:10 PM
#8
steelhouse's Avatar
steelhouse
View Profile Find Posts By steelhouse Find Threads By steelhouse
banned
Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 6,109
It would break you free from the energy rulers. You have just become richer. If you are in the energy sector (oil, gas, coal) you just lost your job. Your air is cleaner. If you have free energy, you also have low cost water and food. Thus, the population will continue to grow 10 billion, 100 billion, 1 trillion.

Oil and gas are unnatural sources of energy too.
02-02-2010 , 02:17 PM
#9
tubasteve's Avatar
tubasteve
View Profile Send Message Find Posts By tubasteve Find Threads By tubasteve
Carpal \'Tunnel
Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 14,283
increased welfare due to technological and economic advances (esp in the field of medicine) has historically lowered birth rates, not the other way around
02-02-2010 , 02:50 PM
#10
cres's Avatar
cres
View Profile Send Message Find Posts By cres Find Threads By cres
Carpal \'Tunnel
Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 10,331
It wouldn't be free, maybe fewer harmful byproducts, but it would enhance society.
02-02-2010 , 02:54 PM
#11
tubasteve's Avatar
tubasteve
View Profile Send Message Find Posts By tubasteve Find Threads By tubasteve
Carpal \'Tunnel
Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 14,283
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federation_credit

interesting read IMO, about the economics of star trek. obviously fictional but fun to think about.
02-02-2010 , 03:05 PM
#12
ianlippert's Avatar
ianlippert
View Profile Send Message Find Posts By ianlippert Find Threads By ianlippert
Pooh-Bah
Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 4,960
The political elites start living in space stations, colonizing the planets and being intergalactic travellers while the majority of us continue to bust our asses at Walmart for minimum wage. The good news is that our TVs are much bigger.
02-02-2010 , 03:27 PM
#13
Montius's Avatar
Montius
View Profile Send Message Find Posts By Montius Find Threads By Montius
Pooh-Bah
Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 4,224
Well if we had limitless "free" energy, the world would probably start to begin to resemble somewhat of a "post-scarcity" economy. The implications of that are pretty interesting, if I do say so myself.

Murray Bookchin wrote a book that deals somewhat with this kind of scenario. It's kinda interesting, even though he is a flaming collectivist.
02-02-2010 , 03:51 PM
#14
SenorKeeed's Avatar
SenorKeeed
View Profile Send Message Find Posts By SenorKeeed Find Threads By SenorKeeed
mew mew mew
Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 37,478
In a society with extremely cheap energy, collectivism is fine imo.
02-02-2010 , 03:52 PM
#15
tubasteve's Avatar
tubasteve
View Profile Send Message Find Posts By tubasteve Find Threads By tubasteve
Carpal \'Tunnel
Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 14,283
Quote:
Originally Posted by mjkidd
In a society with extremely cheap energy, collectivism is fine imo.
love it or leave it instantly via transporter beam
02-02-2010 , 03:58 PM
#16
suzzer99's Avatar
suzzer99
View Profile Send Message Find Posts By suzzer99 Find Threads By suzzer99
Save the Cheerleader, Save the World
Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 100,714
Can we fix this thread title to say fusion? It's tilting me for some reason.
02-02-2010 , 04:04 PM
#17
JayTeeMe's Avatar
JayTeeMe
View Profile Send Message Find Posts By JayTeeMe Find Threads By JayTeeMe
Carpal \'Tunnel
Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 29,419
Quote:
Originally Posted by suzzer99
Can we fix this thread title to say fusion? It's tilting me for some reason.
tbh, fission is a pretty kick-ass energy source too
02-02-2010 , 04:15 PM
#18
Montius's Avatar
Montius
View Profile Send Message Find Posts By Montius Find Threads By Montius
Pooh-Bah
Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 4,224
The Singularity is Near.....
02-02-2010 , 04:25 PM
#19
tubasteve's Avatar
tubasteve
View Profile Send Message Find Posts By tubasteve Find Threads By tubasteve
Carpal \'Tunnel
Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 14,283
Quote:
Originally Posted by Montius
The Singularity is Near.....
solar powered nanoassemblers FTW
02-02-2010 , 04:32 PM
#20
Montius's Avatar
Montius
View Profile Send Message Find Posts By Montius Find Threads By Montius
Pooh-Bah
Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 4,224
Quote:
Originally Posted by tubasteve
solar powered nanoassemblers FTW
Reality augmenters + imagined harems, imo.
02-02-2010 , 05:05 PM
#21
tubasteve's Avatar
tubasteve
View Profile Send Message Find Posts By tubasteve Find Threads By tubasteve
Carpal \'Tunnel
Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 14,283
fractional reserve virgins
02-02-2010 , 05:07 PM
#22
Montius's Avatar
Montius
View Profile Send Message Find Posts By Montius Find Threads By Montius
Pooh-Bah
Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 4,224
Quote:
Originally Posted by tubasteve
fractional reserve virgins
Yessssss finally.....
02-02-2010 , 05:09 PM
#23
suzzer99's Avatar
suzzer99
View Profile Send Message Find Posts By suzzer99 Find Threads By suzzer99
Save the Cheerleader, Save the World
Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 100,714
Quote:
Originally Posted by tubasteve
solar powered nanoassemblers FTW
One of my buddy's high school debate arguments that he'd pull out when all other hope was lost was that nuking the earth is actually good, because otherwise we will develop nanobots that will destroy the entire universe.
02-02-2010 , 05:11 PM
#24
Money2Burn
View Profile Send Message Find Posts By Money2Burn Find Threads By Money2Burn
Carpal \'Tunnel
Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 12,628
Quote:
Originally Posted by xorbie


imo
awesome.
02-02-2010 , 05:17 PM
#25
Money2Burn
View Profile Send Message Find Posts By Money2Burn Find Threads By Money2Burn
Carpal \'Tunnel
Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 12,628
Quote:
Originally Posted by mjkidd
In a society with extremely cheap energy, collectivism is fine imo.
Really? Energy is only part of the equation if a large part. I guess food problems would be solved because greenhouses would be viable everywhere, but Wouldn't water/ other scarce minerals cause problems?
Page 1 of 3
First
Page 1 of 3
Go to page:
Go
1 2 3
Last
Go to page:
Go
Subscribe
...
Page 1 of 3
First
Page 1 of 3
Go to page:
Go
1 2 3
Last
Go to page:
Go
      
Feedback is used for internal purposes. LEARN MORE
Contact Us Privacy Statement TOS
Top
Powered by:  Hand2Note
Copyright ©2008-2022, Hand2Note Interactive LTD
m