The Population Bomb: How We Survived It

[spaze]

I heard some rumors that swine flu came from swines...

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by spaze

I heard some rumors that swine flu came from swines...

and avian flu comes from .....

[nguirado]

First, it makes no sense whatsoever to colonize another planet. It'd be much easier to just fill up the vast emptiness of Australia, Canada, Brazil, the United States, and Siberia than go to another planet. You can build things on the seas as well. Much easier than setting up shop on Mars.

Second, Europeans are already declining in population. That means that there'll be extra room for others. "Problem" solved.

[dsvick]

Originally Posted by SameOldStory

We're living in an artificial world buoyed up by our ingenuity.
...
Yes, there are many problems that we'll find solutions to. The world isn't going to end tomorrow.

I think, as has been mentioned, one of the biggest problems we have now is that everyone expects that someone will come along a solve all the problems with science. And that it will be done just in the nick of time like it is on all the tv shows where the intrepid cast solves the problem with a new bio-engineers gene that they created in a flurry of activity over a three day period, or that with 15 minutes of reprogramming they reconfigured the communications array to send out a signal that made the evil space bots self destruct.

People need to understand that there most likely wont be solutions to these problems that allow them to go on with life "business as usual."

Originally Posted by nguirado

First, it makes no sense whatsoever to colonize another planet. It'd be much easier to just fill up the vast emptiness of Australia, Canada, Brazil, the United States, and Siberia than go to another planet. You can build things on the seas as well. Much easier than setting up shop on Mars.

Second, Europeans are already declining in population. That means that there'll be extra room for others. "Problem" solved.

I hope your first statement was as sarcastic as your second

There is a reason that those places are sparsely inhabited and that is lack or resources. So if people live there the things they need to live need to come from somewhere. There is already talk of shipping water from the Great Lakes in the US to southern places where there is less water. And if more people live in places that are less hospitable it will only reduce the resources for everyone else.

[GeoffC]

water water everywhere, so much in fact that the current population is struggling to find enough for all the uses ...

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by nguirado

Second, Europeans are already declining in population. That means that there'll be extra room for others. "Problem" solved.

Is that true. Everything I can finds states that the population of Europe is increasing, for example;

http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/tgm...abels&plugin=1

It is true that the population of Europe as a percentage of the total population of the world is decreasing (due to more rapid growth elsewhere in the world), but that's' not the same thing.

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967

Is that true. Everything I can finds states that the population of Europe is increasing, for example;

http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/tgm...abels&plugin=1

It is true that the population of Europe as a percentage of the total population of the world is decreasing (due to more rapid growth elsewhere in the world), but that's' not the same thing.

but how much of the population rise in Europe is 'home grown' versus immigration.

Ah ... http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/cac...2011-BP-EN.PDF

Replacement level is 2.1 - although the rates are now rising they remain below this optimum figure.

"nice term that ... replacement level"

[spaze]

Originally Posted by nguirado

Much easier than setting up shop on Mars.

Wouldn't you like to see Kindle 3000 being sold in Mars?

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by spaze

Wouldn't you like to see Kindle 3000 being sold in Mars?

That really will increase "Geographical Restriction" ....

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

An article in this month's Scientific American reflects the same data. It also points out that the use of antibiotics in meat animals is furthering the possibility that viruses will evolve stronger strains and become more of a threat. Apparently, a number of the latest viruses in humans can be traced back to meat animals treated with antibiotics. It is recommended that we cease the application of antibiotics to meat animals immediately, to improve our own survivability.

Antibiotic-resistant infections have reached unprecedented levels and now outstrip our ability to fight them with existing drugs, European health experts are warning. (BBC web link)

[spaze]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

That really will increase "Geographical Restriction" ....

One more reason to move to Mars then

[Mortis]

My wife is doing her part in keeping the population down. I admire that really, but couldn't we just use a contraceptive?

[nguirado]

I hope your first statement was as sarcastic as your second

I was commenting on the idea that people are going to colonize another planet.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

and avian flu comes from .....

and chicken pox came from .....

[pholy]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

and avian flu comes from .....

Duh! Aviators, of course!

Originally Posted by kennyc

and chicken pox came from .....

From Wikipedia: varicella zoster virus

The disease is not related in any way to chickens; the name uses "chicken" in the sense of "weak" or "cowardly" (i.e., a "wimpier" version of smallpox).