The Rothwellian theme (available on Kindle) which on closer examination
perhaps is pre-Orwellian, can be called "the democratization of energy"
... but to the contrarian, it would explain an arcane detail which is
troubling on several levels. ET can't call home.
First I will give Jed a plug. This download to Kindle could be the best
buck you spend this year, even if you do not appreciate my contrarian
response to it:
https://www.amazon.com/Cold-Fusion-Future-Jed-Rothwell-ebook/dp/B001RTSHZS/
OK. That arcane detail, which is explained by a contrarian take on
free-energy advances, would be the present lack of communication with
advanced civilizations on other planets - ala SETI and the Drake
equation. ET is quiet. Most experts who use their best guesses to fill
in the blanks on the Drake equation...
http://www.space.com/25219-drake-equation.html
... estimate that there should be many advanced civilizations in the
Universe, a few of whom are close enough that we should be able to
communicate with them or at least catch glimpses of their broadcast
signals. Except ... that is, for the last term in the Drake equation ( L
= The length of time such civilizations release detectable signals into
space). This is the troubling part. Maybe advancing science invariable
hits a plateau where it always... or almost always ... self-destructs.
Maybe every civilization that discovers LENR succumbs to the dark side.
Which is to day: there is a fair chance that LENR, instead of being the
savior of the planet - is instead, the kiss of death. One a civilization
acquires LERN and massive power (of the kiloton variety) is put into the
hands of every nut-case with a cause - civilization, as we know it
collapses!
Let's face it, the average human is stupid and short sighted. IQ 100 is
above ape level, but not far enough above. Religions can and do prey on
that stupidity to convert an army of true believers into Martyrs for the
cause. Give a potential martyr control of the equivalent of a kiloton of
explosives and humanity is doomed. "Planet of the Apes" here we come.
There is simply no way to control free-energy in the hands of fanatics.
OK - good time to announce that the bit of ultimate cynicism (expressed
above) started out only as gallows humor of sorts - a counterpoint to
the wild idealism which we see expressed in many advocates of LENR. Yet
the more you think about it, the more you cannot write it off.
There is an arguable case for the proposition that "the democratization
of energy" - putting real power into the hands of the average human - is
actually the death knell of human progress.
Jed Rothwell wrote:
Eric Walker wrote:
In addition to the possibilities that have been mentioned, there
is another that comes to mind should at some point LENR be
harnessed as a practical source of energy. Consider small, quiet
drones the size of hummingbirds, which are able to linger in an
area for months on end. With such devices a state player could
quietly assassinate anyone who was not deep in some bunker.
Yes. I described this in chapter 11 of my book. Along with several
other nasty weapons. I heard about these things from people in the
military such as Adm. Griffin. Military experts are well aware of how
cold fusion might be used to enhance conventional weapons.
New energy sources have played a key role in military technology since
1600, especially in naval warfare after 1800. Ironclad ships (and
later steel ships) and big guns would not be possible without steam
engines. Sailing ships would never be able to support them. Steam
power had to come first.
- Jed
