Science and politics The word "science" can be stretched to mean lots things and the scientific process can be used in non-sustainable and destructive ways. This has led to lots of criticism recently. It comes at a time when we desperately need "good science".
Some magazines try to maintain standards and report what they believe to be "good science". One of these is Scientific American and the latest issue addresses global warming and touches on oil. These topics have been overshadowed recently by talk of war and terrorists. But... should we pay more attention to what is in Scientific America? I think we should and here is why. If we understand the science behind issues then we can evaluate the effectiveness of political decisions. For global warming the scientific consensus says we need to do something. This is covered in the Oct. 2001 issue of Scientific American. Is the political process using scientific thinking in other areas? For me the big issue in the world today is oil. It is a one time gift and will run out someday. The big questions are when and what impact? This is touched on in the Scientific American book review section. They reviewed a new book "The End of Oil" published this year. This book is written by a petroleum engineer (geologist) who teaches at Princeton. He contends we have a rough idea about oil reserves. We have had somewhat accurate models for many years now. The big picture is interplay between reserves, demand, new technology, and new wells. The trends in all these areas are known. The book concludes: "The petroleum era is coming to a close. Fossil fuels are a one-time gift that lifted us up from subsistence agriculture and eventually should lead us to a future based on renewable resources." He predicts a bidding war for oil within TEN years. If this is true then we are facing a huge crisis and need to act now. According to the book "End of Oil" it is too late for a smooth oil decline. This means there will be lots of pain and suffering everywhere. I'm confused by this issue to tell the truth. Not many people seem concerned and American politics is only looking short term. There are few "maybes" here, this is is going to happen and it could be soon. Some people believe oil is the motivation lurking behind many issues in the world today but politicians are not willing to discuss it or face the long term consquences. What do you think? jeff
