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Except all those dire predictions turned out be wrong. We didn't run out of food or resources, and birth rates have now declined in almost every country in the
by cdoxsey 12y ago
Except all those dire predictions turned out be wrong. We didn't run out of food or resources, and birth rates have now declined in almost every country in the world. Population growth is basically now a complete non-issue. In retrospect, ignoring the Paul Ehrlichs of the world turned out to be the right move - a far cry from mankind's greatest shortcoming.
If we run out of lithium we'll figure something else out, just like we would for any other resource.
- HarryHirsch 12y agoExcept that then we have run out of available lithium, which means that solutions that require lithium will be inaccessible. Running out of chemical elements is a problem. The helium shortage is a serious problem. High-energy physics is made from helium.
- jakobegger 12y agoIf those physicists hurried up with cold fusion that helium shortage wouldn't be such a problem.
- mtdewcmu 12y agoWhy is helium found underground with natural gas? My theory is that the helium underground comes from radioactive decay and gets trapped along with methane. -- I guess there's no need to speculate when you have Google: https://www.google.com/search?q=where%20does%20helium%20come%20from https://www.google.com/search?q=where%20does%20helium%20come...
- CamperBob2 12y agoWe will never "run out" of anything, including oil or lithium. We'll stop wasting these resources the minute their prices rise to a level where something else becomes more economical. Regardless of when that happens, there will be plenty of lithium left for any potential fusion sources that might be developed later.