Week 2 - Been listening to a lot of Science Podcasts etc
|
| The Naked Scientists Podcast is a very good free monthly with chris smith Instead of Air Conditioning : The Amazing Heat Sponge . The walls or roof have a sandwich inside which is a solid, which melts at 25C. Now the compound actually stores energy and releases it at night when it solidifies. great for deserts Sat - Ranong Views
|
| I was up on the hotel roof.. nice view, no bars/restaurants etc make any use of it
Tues -
PANIC ! Fossil fuels may run out in 300 years time -
|
- Ice methane deposits are only 10 times the size of all the hydrocarbons ever used by man.
Chris Smith on R5 last week spoke of a massive supply of gas held in ice crystals (methane hydrates AKA Methane clathrate) under Artic & Antarctic. Many other journalists are doing reports about "peak oil" and "Oh, my God the world is going to run out of oil." yet they don't talk about ice methane ! (it is mainstream science) | He explained there were many generations of supply, it's difficult to get out, in a Siberian mine it's being used technology . Once it's out it's better than LNG for transportation. It would give off a huge amount of CO2 if used of course.Some stories said melting ice could release damaging methane greenhouse gas, but I don't agree seems the ice is buried deep. Links :
Gas trapped in ice could revolutionise the world economy story, Best Explanantion is from BBC Material World radio prog,
Here we are in thailand
Wiki article, BBC article,
Mostly Harmless - Douglas Adams |
Firstly I was surprised, cos I thought I had already read all the HHG2G books. Typical clever DA style, fast interesting, but in the past all of the threads have tied up so well , wheras in this book the ending seems rushed and doesn't seem to tie up so neatly.
|
| Spoiler : Planet Earth existed in a place where there was a strange discontinuity in the space time continuium. This means 2 things 1. Earth's problem is : elsewhere things happen which are most probable, but on Earth the improbable happens more. The improbable is more probable in reality. 2. There is another Earth in a parallel universe, so it wasn't destroyed by the Vogons when Earth was destroyed for a hyperspace bypass. A space ship has been sent to protect it, but in an accident the memories of the beings are destroyed, so they know they have to observe and wait, but they don't know what they are looking out for. Arthur finally gets back to Earth, knowing he is safe as it phrophesised he will die at a place called SMB. But the Vogon destroyer ship comes in behind the sun from the protectors, so they don't see it. Actually the leader who has forgotten his mission has pointed the guns away from it anyway cos of what he read in his horoscope. Arthur and all are at a club he realises too late this is SMB. So Arthur had got back, but this time he is destroyed with the Earth. The story has come full circle. Every trace of Earth is gone ! Lessons - Trillian learns the life lesson : Never Go back for your handbag. Then for the most important thing in her life she finds the rule doesn't apply. ie. rules sometimes fail. Arthur loves Earth and puts up with a lot of shit to get back, even abandons a life where he is treated as a king - but then when he finally gets back it's destroyed. DA should have written it so tha the Vogons were seen by the protectors, but then the head read his horoscope and pointed the guns away anyway. |
