James Burke : The Day The Universe Changed: "Credit Where It's Due", 5 of 5 (CC)

[barfbagger]

"Boxite" LOL

There are also several other mistakes in this series' captions (e.g. "endured" instead of imbued).

[Bondianwolf]

I bet JB himself realizes the irony in his shows and his editorials.  The shows themselves proclaim how clever we are and how hard it was to get where we are. Then just about the time you're feeling proud of your species inventiveness he say, "Of course our cleverness is going to lead us right over the edge into the abyss."

In truth, we've always found a way to stave off universal collapse. Every century we'll have a great depression and a great war, but we'll muddle thru somehow. Always have

[faolitaruna]

How small quantity of oil production was back then.

[JamesBurkeWeb]

Is that a question or statement? If it's a question I'm not sure... I used to have a graph of world-wide oil production over time but I think it only went up to about 1990. It was some journal article on "peak oil" in the US and a comparison with world oil production overall (apparently showing a similar trend).

[faolitaruna]

I meant that we increased worldwide oil production at least thousand million tons a year in the last 25 years.

[JamesBurkeWeb]

Ah, yes. And it looks like it's going to increase even more now with China's demand on the rise. Looks like the "hole in the ground" is going to be my home country (Canada)... that is, once the easy stuff is all used up!

- JBW

[PaulUmbarger]

"Sure! We can change the world, we can turn it into a giant hole in the ground!" That is one of the things that I have always like about James Burke... not only does he explain complex things in a simple way but, does so with some of the absolute most memorable phrases.

[JamesBurkeWeb]

Absolutely! His wit is almost without equal. Certainly in the realm of science!

[PaulUmbarger]

Yeah! That is why I like his stuff as much as I do.... not only does he talk sense but, does so in a way that sort of sticks in the mind. Not like a lot of folks that just drone on and on.

[neemz2000]

Many many thanks for the opportunity to see this again (now that I'm of an age to appreciate it).

[JamesBurkeWeb]

You're very welcome. Had you seen it before when you were younger?

- JBW

[nigelhalfwittt]

Brilliant episode, thanks for sharing!

[JamesBurkeWeb]

You're very welcome.

- JBW

[Thornfox]

And to think that people will still look at you funny if you suggest the world is overpopulated.

[JamesBurkeWeb]

Do they? I guess, in most "western" countries you'd get that impression.

You certainly wouldn't if lived in Taiwan! Man is that is place overcrowded... still though, it's a really fun place to visit, and probably even to live (until your lungs give out from the pollution that is ;))

Taiwan at it's best: Club Seduce, been there. It's exactly as shown (well better actually):

watch?v = tLC4C8NHmXk & fmt = 18

- JBW

P.S. This "western" countries idea really needs to be defined one of these days!

[InTheSticks1881]

:O)