Challenging Reality: Our Island Earth

"Our Island Earth" is the second episode of the "Challenging Reality" series written and presented by futurist Christopher Barnatt. The programme explores the evolution of travel and communications, and uses the second law of thermodynamics to explore the paradox of humanity's need for constant geographic expansion in the face of dwindling natural resources.

The programme was first shown on Controversial TV (UK Sky Channel 200) on 2nd May 2009. For more information, including a full transcript, please visit http://www.ExplainingTheFuture.com/reality or the forums at http://edgemediatv.com/forum

Except where otherwise credited and used with appropriate permissions, all video, audio and music materials in this programme were produced by and are copyright Christopher Barnatt 2009.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Travel
• Communications
• History
• Sustainability
• Thermodynamics
• Metaman
• Space
• Helium-3
• Moon
• Mining
• Future
• Studies
• Christopher
• Barnatt

[RexLexLegatar]

nice

[ExplainingTheFuture]

@RexLexLegatar Thanks. :-)

[darkisato]

the poor bunny :(

[ExplainingTheFuture]

Don't worry, the rabbit is fine and still living a happy life helping me explain thermodynamic theory!! :-)

[waddellwon]

Xcellent series. Yet is U'r premise sound? "Life only ever survives by consuming a wider and wider environment" And besides is the earth not somewhat of an open system in so far as it has energy raining down upon it as well as many forces acting upon it and in its atmophere?

Sure Metaman is going to have to leave but doesn't humanity have a chance without it? I'm no Malthus but there has to be a way to bring our lifestyle back into equilibrium with our surroundings. Re-think the systems jig

[ShadowWolfTJC]

Say, has anyone heard about any articles about propulsion systems that are powered by energy beams (such as lasers or microwave beams) from an external source? I've seen one craft resembling a stereotypical UFO being propelled by pressurized air that was created by a laser bouncing off of a reflective surface many times, and a toy airplane with a solar cell mounted on its side that received power from a simple laser pointer. Could this be the dawn of a new generation of lightweight spacecraft?

[Georgeqaws]

2:15 that was a good barrier lol

[drussta]

brilliant, i'm glad you guys are getting into TV. We really need more intelligent scientific programmes, rather than being constantly treated like primary school children when it comes to anything sciencey... good stuff!