General Discussion

The Doctor.

(17,266 posts)

55. As in 'Orson Scott'?

Wed Dec 14, 2011, 03:12 PM

Dec 2011

Yeah, very good stuff. Too much 'end justifies the means' kind of guy though.

Stephen Baxter, like Clarke, is a prophet of human destiny. Not in too many specific ways, even though Clarke predicted satellites and the space elevator, but prescient nonetheless.

Baxter's vision of humanity working beyond short-sighted lifetimes on projects that take millenia to complete, long after those that start them are gone, is something we must embrace if we are to survive as a race. Our immense ignorance and myopathy is going to cost us dearly, if it doesn't outright kill us. Hopefully we will learn from the damage we do. Then we can begin to become a worthwhile race.

I highly recommend the vision, even if you aren't into the material.

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Breaking: Bubbling ... the news isn't good [View all] FourScore Dec 2011 OP

Science � Cigar11 Dec 2011 #1

recommend xchrom Dec 2011 #2

Capture it, compress it, and push it back underground. ThomWV Dec 2011 #3

How in the world are you going to capture a gas release over such a wide area? FourScore Dec 2011 #4

You're so right. It's impossible to capture it all or even most of it. Duppers Dec 2011 #5

Not easy, indeed, but imperative. Fire Walk With Me Dec 2011 #18

Plus, the area is getting wider and wider and wider as more artic melting takes place. dixiegrrrrl Dec 2011 #40

With a really, really big funnel hootinholler Dec 2011 #8

A HUGE Condom. Trojan could pay for it with advertising. /nt jtuck004 Dec 2011 #21

K & R rurallib Dec 2011 #6

Sigh..... Pachamama Dec 2011 #7

Humanity and its band aids....we humans are so friggen stoopid we allow this beautiful PLANET opihimoimoi Dec 2011 #9

Oh no, it'll stay a beautiful planet. The Doctor. Dec 2011 #29

The Galatic Hall of Shame will get another Name for a SELF EXTINCTING SPECIES....Humans opihimoimoi Dec 2011 #38

I worry it may already be too late. redqueen Dec 2011 #10

No, it is NOT too late. Fire Walk With Me Dec 2011 #12

I hope you're right. redqueen Dec 2011 #13

Actually, this is the signal that it is too late. The Doctor. Dec 2011 #26

We Are Smarter Than Methane. Fire Walk With Me Dec 2011 #58

It can't be reasoned with. The Doctor. Dec 2011 #60

"Oh Fuck!" is when we get our shit together and fix problems. Fire Walk With Me Dec 2011 #61

Why it IS too late Bragi Dec 2011 #49

PTB will just accept it as inevitable. dogknob Dec 2011 #11

�We don't have to protect the environment, the Second Coming is at hand.� redqueen Dec 2011 #14

That's actually a myth. The Doctor. Dec 2011 #30

I could swear there were reports a few years ago this was already happening. n/t eShirl Dec 2011 #15

See #5 above sce56 Dec 2011 #16

and there it is, the beginning of the end Motown_Johnny Dec 2011 #17

That is correct. Now would be the time to start making travel arrangement to any planet The Doctor. Dec 2011 #31

IMO we would need to bring Ceres into an eccentric near Mars orbit Motown_Johnny Dec 2011 #39

What's the mass of ceres? The Doctor. Dec 2011 #41

. Motown_Johnny Dec 2011 #45

Pretty. The Doctor. Dec 2011 #46

I'm an Asimov guy Motown_Johnny Dec 2011 #51

As in 'Orson Scott'? The Doctor. Dec 2011 #55

Thank capitalism (nt) T S Justly Dec 2011 #19

Tragically, we are past the point of 'human' control. blackspade Dec 2011 #20

K&R burrowowl Dec 2011 #22

The tragic thing is that NONE of this was necessary! Moostache Dec 2011 #23

Even more... The Doctor. Dec 2011 #33

What drives the runaway degradation? OVERPOPULATION BlancheSplanchnik Dec 2011 #35

No Santa? No North Pole? lonestarnot Dec 2011 #24

knr G_j Dec 2011 #25

Borscht farts coming back to haunt.....?? cliffordu Dec 2011 #27

How would they know if we're not past the point of no return? lunatica Dec 2011 #28

The Bible will show the way Bragi Dec 2011 #32

They know. Like you said... The Doctor. Dec 2011 #34

a big part of that in US is RW talk radio intimidation- please see post below.... certainot Dec 2011 #43

Methane is being released by melting permafrost. CO2 ain't shit alfredo Dec 2011 #37

Now all we need is a careless cigarette tossed overboard. alfredo Dec 2011 #36

we have to get our university sports off RW radio/ global warming denial stations certainot Dec 2011 #42

Thanks Bragi Dec 2011 #44

those unis are 'requiring' their students to listen to those stations certainot Dec 2011 #47

Good luck with that campaign Bragi Dec 2011 #48

thanks. i don't know how that 1st am shakes out in this certainot Dec 2011 #50

k & r thanks for posting...nt Stuart G Dec 2011 #52

here is another story on the same subject (makes it sound even worse) Motown_Johnny Dec 2011 #53

Whoa..... MzShellG Dec 2011 #54

From Yesterday's Daily Mail: "'Fountains' of Methane 1000m across erupt from Arctic Ice" librechik Dec 2011 #56

Great time to max out your 401k raouldukelives Dec 2011 #57

'Tis only divers after having Mexican for lunch,,,,, benld74 Dec 2011 #59

K & R Quantess Dec 2011 #62