These really are good pieces of news. I knew about the Ozone hole shrinking, and the advance in fusion tech was splashed all over the news. The lab grown "trees" was pretty amazing, and entirely new to me. I did not deep dive on the comments, but the first ones I encountered seemed fairly intelligent (which was itself an encouraging sign.)
It will likely be "our" grandchildren (technically, "yours" since I was never reckless enough to create spawn) who see anything come of this. For persons my age, that might be great-grandchildren.
Unrelated to the fusion news (although they both involve Hydrogen), Australia has begun industrial level production for the purposes of fuel cell use, particularly in private vehicles. Their are obstacles here as well: unlike electricity or fossil fuels 150 years ago, there is no pre-existing infrastructure for distribution and use. Also, unless the production is supported by renewable energy sources, it will be more of a problem than a solution. The Hydrogen might burn clean, but if the production of it does not it is a net polluter. Basic thermodynamics. (I'm told that it does use such sources.) https://www.hydrogenfuelsaustralia.com.au/
Otherwise, "good news" reminds me of the story about the doctor who sits down with his patient:
Doctor: Well, I've bad news and I have good news.
Patient: Give me the bad news first ...
Doctor: I am very sorry to tell you that you've an incurable disease and will be dead in 3 months.
Patient: OH MY GOD! That's horrible! What's the good news?
Doctor (with a smile): That cute receptionist up front finally agreed to have sex with me!
Jesus. that "good news" story is eerily reminiscent of my life. A metaphor, in fact.
I like how you refer to procreating as reckless. It most certainly is, and for every reason imaginable. It's possible we'll see these advances happen within our own lifetimes, however. Time moves at a different rate of speed these days, doesn't it? Everything is accelerated. If so, I want some lab-grown furniture, dammit. Oh, and those awesome new shoes (the Guardian ran an article about them) where you can walk normally but cover four times as much ground. I NEED these shoes.
15+ years ago, I was a regular consumer of Joe Romm's blogs (as they variously morphed onto different platforms before vanishing altogether.) Romm is an expert on energy issues, worked in the ... er, "Office of Technology and other cool shit" under Clinton. Anyway, one of the points he insisted on, and that I continue to take as gospel, is that large scale developments in energy production are very rare, and very slow in coming even once they have hit their "breakthrough" stage. So I'd be surprised if even a large scale test platform was brought on line sooner than 2050. (Fission plants were in large scale production by 1960, so only 15 years after the Bomb. But the development of the Bomb itself was driven by wartime R&D standards, and was preceded by some 40+ years of research. And from what I understand, the technical issues with fusion are significantly greater than those with fission.)
Wait, what..."not just a couple of dorks in hoodies?" As President of our local Dorks in Hoodies chapter, I resemble that remark....
It is good to know that if you look between the dark lines, which is what draws the clicks and eyeballs, there are good things to focus on. And sometimes the bad, awful, and nasty does seem to be rather overwhelming. Nonetheless, I have to continue to believe that people are fundamentally good, if peppered with dickweeds who happen to have access to armies and nuclear arsenals. It's unfortunate, but in a world where Russia is a reality, dark can be too often the default worldview.
I continue to have hope that, in spite of ourselves, Mankind will find a way to survive. There's no Planet B, after all, and so we must find a way to remove our anteriors from our posteriors in time to save said posteriors. I think it will happen, but it will be long after we're plant food.
Now that I've thoroughly depressed myself, Merry Christmas and a Happy Slivovitz...or whatever it is you celebrate!!🤭❤️
A Christmas gift to you: I love your writing and your thoughts. I lived in Italy for four years in the early 1980's and loved every minute as you do. I hope to be able to travel back to Italy soon and who knows, knock on your door! Merry Christmas and Hopes for a Joyous and Peaceful New Year. Suzanne Staley
These really are good pieces of news. I knew about the Ozone hole shrinking, and the advance in fusion tech was splashed all over the news. The lab grown "trees" was pretty amazing, and entirely new to me. I did not deep dive on the comments, but the first ones I encountered seemed fairly intelligent (which was itself an encouraging sign.)
It will likely be "our" grandchildren (technically, "yours" since I was never reckless enough to create spawn) who see anything come of this. For persons my age, that might be great-grandchildren.
Unrelated to the fusion news (although they both involve Hydrogen), Australia has begun industrial level production for the purposes of fuel cell use, particularly in private vehicles. Their are obstacles here as well: unlike electricity or fossil fuels 150 years ago, there is no pre-existing infrastructure for distribution and use. Also, unless the production is supported by renewable energy sources, it will be more of a problem than a solution. The Hydrogen might burn clean, but if the production of it does not it is a net polluter. Basic thermodynamics. (I'm told that it does use such sources.) https://www.hydrogenfuelsaustralia.com.au/
Otherwise, "good news" reminds me of the story about the doctor who sits down with his patient:
Doctor: Well, I've bad news and I have good news.
Patient: Give me the bad news first ...
Doctor: I am very sorry to tell you that you've an incurable disease and will be dead in 3 months.
Patient: OH MY GOD! That's horrible! What's the good news?
Doctor (with a smile): That cute receptionist up front finally agreed to have sex with me!
Jesus. that "good news" story is eerily reminiscent of my life. A metaphor, in fact.
I like how you refer to procreating as reckless. It most certainly is, and for every reason imaginable. It's possible we'll see these advances happen within our own lifetimes, however. Time moves at a different rate of speed these days, doesn't it? Everything is accelerated. If so, I want some lab-grown furniture, dammit. Oh, and those awesome new shoes (the Guardian ran an article about them) where you can walk normally but cover four times as much ground. I NEED these shoes.
15+ years ago, I was a regular consumer of Joe Romm's blogs (as they variously morphed onto different platforms before vanishing altogether.) Romm is an expert on energy issues, worked in the ... er, "Office of Technology and other cool shit" under Clinton. Anyway, one of the points he insisted on, and that I continue to take as gospel, is that large scale developments in energy production are very rare, and very slow in coming even once they have hit their "breakthrough" stage. So I'd be surprised if even a large scale test platform was brought on line sooner than 2050. (Fission plants were in large scale production by 1960, so only 15 years after the Bomb. But the development of the Bomb itself was driven by wartime R&D standards, and was preceded by some 40+ years of research. And from what I understand, the technical issues with fusion are significantly greater than those with fission.)
**SNORT**
I really needed this today, thank you!
Wait, what..."not just a couple of dorks in hoodies?" As President of our local Dorks in Hoodies chapter, I resemble that remark....
It is good to know that if you look between the dark lines, which is what draws the clicks and eyeballs, there are good things to focus on. And sometimes the bad, awful, and nasty does seem to be rather overwhelming. Nonetheless, I have to continue to believe that people are fundamentally good, if peppered with dickweeds who happen to have access to armies and nuclear arsenals. It's unfortunate, but in a world where Russia is a reality, dark can be too often the default worldview.
I continue to have hope that, in spite of ourselves, Mankind will find a way to survive. There's no Planet B, after all, and so we must find a way to remove our anteriors from our posteriors in time to save said posteriors. I think it will happen, but it will be long after we're plant food.
Now that I've thoroughly depressed myself, Merry Christmas and a Happy Slivovitz...or whatever it is you celebrate!!🤭❤️
Love this post!
A Christmas gift to you: I love your writing and your thoughts. I lived in Italy for four years in the early 1980's and loved every minute as you do. I hope to be able to travel back to Italy soon and who knows, knock on your door! Merry Christmas and Hopes for a Joyous and Peaceful New Year. Suzanne Staley
Happy Holidays, Stacey — and here's to a fun 2023 to you!