3 ms·
Keep in mind that all the easily-mined coal, oil, and gas deposits have been used. We might be kinda screwed if something takes out civilization (e.g., the nuk
by NateEag 5y ago
Keep in mind that all the easily-mined coal, oil, and gas deposits have been used.
We might be kinda screwed if something takes out civilization (e.g., the nukes fly).
I guess we can hope that nuclear winter is exaggerated or non-existent and the southern hemisphere pulls through with intact infrastructure after the exchange.
- ben_w 5y agoSure, everything would suck for a while[0]. But we had wind and hydro for a long time before electricity and steam, so those that survive could rebuild, analogously as to how we are presently weaning ourselves off fossil fuels without such destruction. [0] I realise given the context of global thermonuclear war this may seem like understatement. Well, I’m British and I have a stereotype to uphold.
- NateEag 5y agoIt might not be as easy as you'd hope to rebuild. This essay does a good job of explaining why it's probably possible in principle and why in practice it might be quite difficult: https://aeon.co/essays/could-we-reboot-a-modern-civilisation-without-fossil-fuels https://aeon.co/essays/could-we-reboot-a-modern-civilisation... (Incidentally, I highly recommend that author's book _ The Knowledge_, which is a more extended meditation on industrial civilisation and what it would take to reinvent it if we lost it.)