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For much of my life, I've developed technology and instruments for NASA science missions. These missions conditioned me to do substantial amounts of systems analysis because once our missions were launched, we had to operate the instruments with only the resources and critical back up equipment carried on board.

My experiences have given me a useful vantage point from which to evaluate the future of the world ecologically, economically, and technologically speaking. I'm sorry to throw cold water on so many posts citing technological breakthroughs that will save us from our selves and offer a bright future.

I refer you to an article by Richard Heinberg, an expert on fossil fuels and who has written extensively on the limitations of future technologies. He's done substantial systems analysis on these topics. [resilience.org]

TheAstroChuck 8 June 1
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please refer me to some of your articles or papers Professor

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I love you!!

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I could add you to my list of people I would like to have a chat with over a coffee, sounds very interesting work. The attached story about sinks and systems is extremely valid. The first and greatest extinction event (IMHO) occurred when the sink of dissolved iron was finally precipitated out of the oceans by the oxygen released by the main life form on the planet at the time. They had been happily excreting oxygen for millions of years, the buffers allowed them to far exceed what could be absorbed sustainably, they kept breeding and were well over sustainable levels when the buffers ran out. hmmmmm, sounds like a species we all know.

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Excellent article.

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I suspect our future may be defined by politics, not science unfortunately.

I worry because Karl Marx predicted crises within capitalism, and his predictions are coming true. The system is broken - inevitably leading us to fascism and war.

I suspect capitalism, the inequality it creates combined with much of the human race's propensity to scapegoat when fearful is a tinderbox to a flame.

And this dynamic is being controlled by a small percentage of the human race (the ruling class) who seem to have little concern about using nuclear weapons.

We don't need money. For our survival we need to live for the greater good. One for all - all for one.

The fly in the ointment are the psychopaths, the sociopaths and the selfish and the only way to stop them from ruining life on earth for everyone is to build our society around a fully democratic system, where everyone has a say about everything, all the time.

Whilst there are billionaires living like kings and children starving to death, science is less relevant.

@TheAstroChuck

I realise my comment is full-on political, in a negative way. I apologise.

You make it sound like the “psychopaths, sociopaths and the selfish” are in the minority. Unfortunately I’m not so sure about that, and I also wonder that so many people don’t seem to realise the urgency of the situation. The lag and the resistance built into every step of trying to effect a large change means that if we don’t create the political will to act on this today, our descendants will be left with an enormous task.

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