During the 20th century, the world’s population nearly quadrupled, from 1.6 billion people in 1900 to 6 billion by century’s end. In that same period, the world’s gross domestic product ballooned from $1.98 trillion to over $28 trillion (both in 1990 dollars), according to author John R. McNeill. Throughout this period of unprecedented economic expansion and population growth, humanity also transformed the earth. ‘This is the first time in human history that we have altered ecosystems with such intensity, on such scale, and with such speed, writes Mr. McNeill in his book ‘Something New Under the Sun. Vertebrate numbers are down by one-third since the 1970s, according to the WWF. And between 20 and 30 percent of plants and animals are in danger of extinction with the temperature increases that are likely this century, says the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The plight of other living things aside, scientists worry that humanity’s demands on – and disruption of – natural systems threaten their very ability to support people. Scientists increasingly stress the need for active conservation – not just putting bits of nature off limits, but restoring degraded ecosystems. The question is: Can ecosystems recover after such […]
Will we ever win the war on cancer? Richard Nixon had every reason to be optimistic when, during his 1971 State of the Union address, he called for a concerted effort to find a cure for cancer. After all, it took only three years for the Manhattan Project to produce the world’s first atomic bomb. Nixon’s own presidency witnessed the 1969 moon landing, a goal set forth by John F. Kennedy in 1961. It seemed that given enough resources there was no job that Americans couldn’t tackle quickly. But with $200 billion spent and tens of millions of cancer deaths accumulated since 1971, most would say we are losing the war on cancer. Cancer is the top killer worldwide, responsible for 7.4 million or 13 percent of all deaths annually. In America cancer will soon overtake heart disease as the top killer, claiming more than half million lives annually. The situation isn’t entirely grim. We’ve made some strides, and new research on stem cells, immunotherapy and genomic medicine offers much hope. But don’t except the war to end anytime soon. We’re only really very good at curing mice of cancer. The stumbling block has been […]
MUNICH — A group of 12 European companies agreed to push forward on a solar-power project intended to feed electricity to Europe from the Sahara. European finance, technology and energy giants, including Deutsche Bank AG, Siemens AG, ABB Ltd. and E.On AG, signed a memorandum of understanding to develop a feasible plan over the next three years. If the plan is workable, the group would aim to build its first thermal solar power plant by 2015, said Munich Re management board member Torsten Jeworrek, who is coordinating the initiative for his company and the others. The project — dubbed Desertec — would aim to provide up to 15% of Europe’s electricity by 2050, as well as address growing energy needs in North Africa and the Middle East. Member companies will contribute about €1.8 million ($2.5 million) in the first year, Mr. Jeworrek said. If the plan goes forward, the group will look for more members and a bigger financing base, he said. The project would likely face political, financial and technological issues. The Club of Rome, a global think tank connected with the project, in a recent study estimated that roughly €400 billion would be needed […]
The Episcopal Church, casting aside warnings about further alienating conservatives within its ranks, on Tuesday lifted a de facto ban on the ordination of gay bishops and is continuing to weigh a measure that would sanction blessings for same-sex couples. Bishops, clergy and lay leaders voted overwhelmingly at the denomination’s General Convention in Anaheim to open ‘any ordained ministry’ to gays and lesbians. The liberalized policy represents a reversal from guidelines adopted by the church at its last convention in 2006 that effectively prohibited the consecration of bishops whose ‘manner of life’ would strain relations with the 77-million member Anglican Communion. The Episcopal Church is the U.S. branch of the communion. The new approach is likely to deepen theological fissures that led some traditionalist Episcopal congregations and dioceses last month to form a rival church. And it is almost certain to trigger a backlash among conservative Anglican leaders who have urged the U.S. church to refrain from relaxing ordination and marriage standards. But progressives in the 2.1-million member denomination said the move toward inclusion reflects the reality of a church that is home to many partnered gays and lesbians who belong to parishes that encourage their […]
Remote Viewing the Year 2060
