Wolfgang Korsus Dipl.-Ing. NT, Astrophysiker
New stuff… doesn’t taste good!
Pessimists are not welcome, but I find it difficult to be optimistic
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Every day I report on threats to the Earth… and I have to admit that it is threatened in so many ways that I find it difficult to remain optimistic for long. The threats are too enormous, they overwhelm me every day and there are too many of them.
Once again, I say that this small planet is literally becoming too small; there are approximately 9.2 billion of us roaming around on it.
Our resources, such as mineral resources, which also include rare earths, are being depleted at a „rapid pace.“ In addition, we have given our planet the catastrophic gift of climate change.
Other „gifts“ have not yet been mastered. We are all contributing to global warming every day. We want to travel, we want cars, we want an ever-higher standard of living.
The truly frightening problem is that by the time people finally realize what they are doing and have always done, it will most likely be too late. There is no need to mention the future, because we are on the threshold of a second nuclear age and a period of unprecedented climate change.
We scientists have a special responsibility to inform the public and advise political leaders (D. Trump???? X 10¹⁰) about the dangers facing humanity. We do this continuously, but we are shouting into a „dark forest.“ As scientists, we know the dangers of nuclear weapons and their always devastating, always deadly effects. We have studied how human activities and technologies in particular are attacking climate systems in ways that can and will permanently alter life on Earth. As global citizens, we have a „duty“ not to keep this knowledge to ourselves, but to alert the public to the unnecessary risks we „live with“ every day. I see a great danger looming if governments and societies do not take action now to make nuclear weapons obsolete and put an immediate stop to ongoing climate change. At the same time, many of these politicians deny the reality of man-made climate change—or at least humanity’s ability to stop it—at the very moment when our world is facing several highly threatening environmental crises. There is an acute danger that global warming will become self-perpetuating, if it has not already done so.
‼ The „melting“ of the ice caps in the Arctic and Antarctic „reduces“ the amount of solar energy reflected back into space, thereby increasing the temperature even further.
‼ Climate change is likely to destroy the Amazon rainforest and other rainforests, eliminating one of the most important natural processes for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
‼ The rise in sea temperature could release large amounts of carbon dioxide. Both phenomena would intensify the greenhouse effect and thus global warming as a whole. ‼ Both effects could lead to a climate like that on Venus: boiling hot, sulfuric acid rain, and temperatures well above 250 degrees.
‼ Human life would no longer be possible.
For the last time, we must do more than the Kyoto Protocol stipulates. To put it simply, I can also say it this way… „The protocol and how it is applied is like a handkerchief with only one big hole in it“… because oil and coal companies had officially resisted an agreement in Kyoto until the very end. …the poor companies, they would certainly have been badly hurt! Of course, environmental organizations were also completely dissatisfied with the result. Because „what could have been achieved has not been achieved here,“ said Stephan Singer of the WWF, the World Wide Fund for Nature, at the time. „This is far too little to counter the global threat posed by greenhouse gases.“ Similar reactions were also seen later at each of the following UN climate conferences.
So everyone can read for themselves: the Kyoto Protocol only came into force when two conditions were met: at least 57 countries had to ratify it. In addition, these countries had to have collectively caused at least 58 percent of CO2 emissions in 1990. It took almost an eternity for both of these conditions to be met, a mere seven years… after the conference. Humanity strikes again.
A cheeky question from me: What has the Kyoto Protocol done for the climate?
The Kyoto Protocol acted as a kind of „emissions brake,“ strangely enough only for the so-called industrialized countries. The vast majority of signatory states complied with the commitments they had made. However, this was also due to the collapse of industry in the former Eastern Bloc countries in the 1990s and the consequences of the financial crisis from 2008 onwards.
Dear readers, and who never ratified the Kyoto Protocol: the USA!!! AND Canada withdrew from the agreement.
Although the Kyoto reduction targets were largely achieved, global emissions rose sharply after the conference. This was because large emerging economies, especially China, intensified their industrialization using fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas. The agreement on the Kyoto Protocol was therefore, on the one hand, a „minimal“ major success – and, on the other hand, far from enough to limit climate change even by a fraction.
This international agreement, which was adopted in 1997, simply requires us to radically reduce carbon dioxide emissions now, because in my opinion, we have the technology to do so.
Of course, we will always lack a certain will… the political will. We are, how could it be otherwise, an ignorant, thoughtless bunch of people. Let’s look at a part of our history, because when we were confronted with comparable crises back then, we were able to settle elsewhere. Just think of Columbus and his discovery of the New World in 1492.
It’s a shame to say it, but I feel obliged to do so… but at the moment, I don’t see a „New World“ anymore, no „utopia“ just around the corner. Our living space can only be described as ridiculously scarce, so we have no choice but to move to other worlds. The universe as we know it is a space full of violence: I see… stars devouring even „known“ planets, and supernovas firing deadly rays, while I also see black holes colliding with each other and asteroids racing through space at speeds of almost hundreds of miles per second. This list of „facts,“ or rather these „phenomena,“ do not make the space we know seem particularly inviting.
I would love to say: Come on, humanity, given the reasons described above, why don’t we venture out into space right now, instead of staying put on Earth and waiting for the end of „human evolution“?
We would not have much to counter a collision with an asteroid. A brief look at historical data → → → The last collision took place 70 million years ago and has been proven; it destroyed the dinosaurs…and there will be another destruction. What do you think it will be?
I don’t want to call this science fiction; rather, I am talking more about a given condition imposed by the laws of nature and the laws of probability.
When I look at the current political situation on our planet, nuclear war is probably still the greatest threat to humanity—an ongoing danger that has been almost completely suppressed by the majority of spiritually dormant humanity. When I try to delve into the details, Russia and the US no longer seem quite so ready for war, yet they still have enough nuclear warheads to destroy everything that lives on the planet. The highly tragic scenario would be an accident or terrorists getting hold of this destructive arsenal. Another major risk is the steady increase in the number of countries that possess or want to possess nuclear weapons.
Such superfluous, certain mentally ill people have been around for a long time, and there are many of them!
It should also be noted that, even after the end of the Cold War, there are still enough nuclear weapons to wipe us all out, several times over, and therefore new nuclear nations are further increasing instability. I often say, „Over time, the nuclear threat may diminish,“ but other threats will develop in its place. Humankind will continue to develop new mechanisms for killing over the next few generations, don’t worry! That is why we who are still alive must remain vigilant. For I believe it is almost inevitable that a nuclear confrontation or another environmental catastrophe will devastate the Earth in one way or another at some point in the next 350 years, or rather, devastate it on a larger scale, which is only a brief moment on the geological timeline.
I hope and believe that our ingenious species will have found a way to escape the oppressive limits of the Earth and survive the catastrophe by then. … „Those who hope and believe die sooner.“ The millions of other species (animal species) that live on Earth may not be so fortunate—and we as a species will have only ourselves to blame.
I am convinced that we are treating our future on planet Earth with irresponsible indifference. This is typical of humans; we currently have no alternatives, but in the long term, the human species really should not rely on just one option—we should not put all our eggs in one basket, or on one planet. Hopefully, we won’t drop the basket before then. But we are explorers by nature, constantly driven by curiosity—a specifically „human“ trait.
The annals of history have always revealed an „insatiable“ curiosity, which motivated explorers to prove that the Earth is not flat. And it is precisely this instinct that sends us to the stars „at the speed of our thoughts“ and urges us to actually go there. And every time we take a significant step forward, such as with the moon landings, we, humanity, also take several steps backward.
The events just mentioned bring people and nations together for months, putting new discoveries and new technologies back on the agenda, but the project of leaving Earth will have been an unending pipe dream… and will remain so until the next stage of evolution. We need to rekindle the enthusiasm of the early days of space travel in the 1960s, then the relevant politicians can boast with satisfaction again for a few years. The necessary technology is almost within reach. It is time to explore other solar systems… from a respectful distance, of course. Venturing into space is perhaps the only way to save ourselves from ourselves. I am convinced that humans must leave Earth, otherwise continuing to live here would be fatal.
We risk being wiped out if we stay. However, leaving for other „near solar regions“ will remain an unfulfilled dream forever… says WK
‼ ‼ ‼ ‼ ‼ ‼….what is that noise out there disturbing me? I look, open the window and:
Yes, outrageous, a horde of „know-it-alls,“ „better-knows,“ „suicide suspects“…and most of them are shouting…WE ARE HERE!
Then I’ll try to tell you something about nearby solar systems:
Alpha Centauri… is the name of this star (or stars)… and it is closest to our sun.
Before I dive into deeper details with you, I’ll show you a compact overview:
…look on the internet!
…brevity is the soul of wit!
* Alpha Centauri is only, only, only… 4.37 light-years away from Earth, making it our closest stellar neighbor.
* A system always consists of several stars: in this case, Alpha Centauri A, Alpha Centauri B, and the red dwarf Proxima Centauri.
* A and B form a so-called binary system, while Proxima orbits the pair at a distance.
* Stars A and B are similar to the Sun and offer potentially life-friendly conditions.
* Proxima Centauri is the closest single star to Earth and the target of current „exoplanet research.“
Alpha Centauri—also known as Rigil Kentaurus, Toliman, or simply α Centauri—is a triple star system in the constellation Centaurus. Together with the Sun, it forms the center of our Local Flock, a small group of neighboring stars in the Milky Way.
The three main players in this system are:
* Alpha Centauri A: A yellow main sequence star, spectral type G2 V, i.e., almost a twin of the Sun .
* Alpha Centauri B: An orange main sequence star, slightly smaller and cooler than the Sun
* Proxima Centauri: An active red dwarf star that orbits A and B at a great distance.
* With an apparent total brightness of -0.27 mag, Rigil Kentaurus is the brightest object in the constellation Centaurus and the third brightest star in the night sky.
Once again ↣ ↣ ↣
Alpha Centauri is a triple star system in the constellation Centaurus. Together with the Sun, it forms the center of our Local Group, a small group of neighboring stars in the Milky Way…and now please answer:
Would any of you readers like to take part in this highly recommended trip?