Peak Oil?

#21

My prediction is that you’re right, unfortunately, but I really wish you weren’t. The only thing I take exception to is the likelihood of this happening. This happened because of a corporation ignoring the warnings and bypassing safety protocols.

“It’s probably not a problem. Probably, but I’m showing a small discrepancy in…well, no, it’s well within acceptable bounds. Sustaining sequence.”

I have no doubt that something like this will happen again. We can’t take that chance. Not with this being the only planet we currently have.

#22

I sometimes wonder whether or not it might be better for humanity to become extinct. All other species on this planet would go: “YAAAYYYY!” Except domesticised animals, maybe. But they will adapt and survive, I am sure.

The other option would be for humanity to become NEARLY extinct. Second chance and all that. But somebody would have to make sure that the rebuilding of society would take the right steps.

The best way for humans to live and survive would certainly be a vast, but maneuverable, completely autark space station in Earth’s orbit, complete with artificial gravity, gardens, defense systems (mostly against small meteorites) and living space for several millions of people.

Babylon 5 comes to mind. Only it’d have to be larger. And shielded against deadly rays from space. And able to evade planetoids on collision course with Earth.

Or, alternatively, Earth would have to be surrounded by space observation telescopes covering every inch of space where a threat could possible come from, and massive defense satellites with thermonuklear warheads on board, capable of destroying asteroids or at least correcting their course.
Then there would still be the threat of deadly gamma rays hitting Earth, so some kind of planetary shield would have to be created that could reflect them.

That sounds so much like Star Wars, I really thing none of these solutions is realistic in any given future.

Extinction is more or less unavoidable.

#23

you still need to burn fossil fuels to produce enough electricity to power electric cars.

#24

Are there any power production technique currently available in some form that does not need fossil fuels at all?

As I see it, the biggest problem is currently the carrier of energy. There are plenty of renewable energy sources, but we don’t currently have anything to store the energy in properly. I may of course be wrong, though.

#25

Not when you factor in construction and maintenance. The closest thing is wind power but it’s still expensive to produce and hard to scale.

#26

Tell that to all the castrated dogs and cats, the goldfish and hamsters.

On topic: A Hell. We’ll probably go back to the dark ages. I think.

#27

Hahahaha now all I can think about is Deus Ex.

#28

This theory has been around for a very, very long time. Anyone who thinks that the disappearance of oil will result in the death of humanity believes in three fundamentally incorrect assumptions: a) that the disappearance will happen overnight, b) that we don’t already know its happening and aren’t already doing something about it and c) that our economic system wont be able to adapt to it.

So to the first assumption; we know that oil is disappearing. We know that its becoming harder and harder to extract. Oil isn’t suddenly going to disappear overnight and we’re not all sudden going to go “but I am le tired” and suddenly let the world collapse around us.

Secondly, we’re already trying to stop it. The move to nuclear/renewable energy sources means a move away from other fossil fuels, and while nuclear power is non-renewable, its one hell of a lot more efficient than coal/oil/gas power plants. We’re also pushing out different kinds of transportation; public transport is becoming more awesome, we’re developing hybrid/electric/hydrogen cars, and we’re moving away from a dependence on fossil fuels.

And lastly, the idea that the economic system can’t adapt to the change. This leads directly on from the last idea; as oil becomes more and more expensive, people aren’t just going to roll over and die; they’re going to invest in different, more affordable areas. Those areas aren’t comparatively more affordable at the moment because the technology is still very underdeveloped and not ready for widespread economic production. As oil becomes more expensive, other areas, such as renewable energies, become more affordable, so more people invest. This, consequently, means that those technologies become more refined and, therefore, cheaper.

So we wont die. The more urgent the problem becomes, the more the price of oil increases and the more we invest in renewable energies, which means they get developed faster. The economic system can adapt and the end of the world is not nigh. At all.

#29

When we all become extinct, we’ll all biodegrade and become fuel for dinosaur’s expensive cars

Topic: There’s plenty of fuel, but it’s easier to spread paranoia, and then boost the fuel price just to get a profit

#30

^^huzzah

#31

Well, some humans will certainly die. The more urgent the problem becomes, the more the price of oil increases, the more all the industrialized nations in the world who are dependent on oil will invest in wars to aquire fuel sources, which means a lot of people get killed. It might even get to the point of limited nuclear exchange, which could in turn lead to uncontrolled global nuclear warfare. I say could, because chances are high that alternative power sources will provide enough energy that this won’t be as necessary at the time. There is also the possibility that we could still find new oil reserves who have not yet been discovered, which would totally change the situation.

Reminds me of this.

#32

War never changes

#33

i heard a guy invented a car that runs on water and its only exhaust is more water but the cia came into his house and messed up his papers and shot a dart into his dog to shut him up. world is a fuc*d up place man (google building 7)

#34

Just in case that was mean in earnest & not as satiric parody of conspiracy nuts:

WTC 7 controlled demolition conspiracy theory debunked

Also, this does belong in the NWO thread.

#35

Woah, wait. What? On what evidence do you say that countries in the world will suddenly invade each other? Why would the government care if we ran out of oil? Moreover, why would they go to war over it? Furthermore, since when does war = resource security?

And uncontrolled global nuclear warfare? Wha? There’s no need to jump on the doomsday bandwagon every time there’s a blip on the radar. Its a problem that can be solved. Nobody is going to die.

Well, mostly nobody. The biggest ramifications to the decrease in oil are going to be the rentier states of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, etc. They derive so much of their budget from the sale of oil that they don’t need to worry too much about domestic industries, other than oil production of course. That means that as soon as the global market moves away from the pricey oil, the proverbial is going to hit the fan as soon as the demand for oil drops away as the price skyrockets with a contraction of supply. That’s where most of the ramifications will be felt, not in the West.

And I would hope to whatever deity you believe in that we don’t find more oil. The environment virtually depends on the increasing price (and consequence decreasing demand) of oil.

#36

really?

#37

Notice how he said “I say could,” taking care to put ‘could’ in bold?

also what mattemuse said

#38

the quality of life we have come to take for granted is not sustainable in the longterm and people will be angry and hungry. mad max is a documentary

#39

From what I know Hydrogen fuel cells are much more efficient and I really hope they, not electric cars, are the way of the future.

#40

Uhhh, yeah, really. Why would the government care if we ran out of oil? Explain it rationally, reasonably, and without any allusions to the Cold War.

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