Re: Ten rocket loads could supply all the energy needs of humankind for a year

From: Scott A Crosby (scrosby_at_cs.rice.edu)
Date: 07/14/04 

Date: 14 Jul 2004 02:38:21 -0500

On 14 Jul 2004 00:09:21 GMT, longmuirg@aol.com (LongmuirG) writes:

> OK. If we define the start of modern civilization in terms of the
> use of fossil fuels, then we have been at it for only about 200 -
> 250 years. Prior to that, human beings had a civilization built
> upon "renewable" energy -- things like slavery, the canonical form
> of renewable energy.

Wasn't the primary energy source in ancient times burning wood. And
that was definitly not renewable at the rate it was being burned. I
remember hearing claims that europe had lost its forests over a
millenia ago. Then there's Easter Island. I'm pretty sure that there
are many other examples around the world.

> That kind of civilization started about 7 or 8 thousand years ago,
> dating from the development of agriculture in what today is Iraq.

Scott