The Coronavirus Won't Go Away for Good The coronavirus is dragging the world into a recession. Travel bans, celebrity infections, and declining stock prices are sending people into a state of panic. Efforts to contain the spread are stepping up, as more rapid tests are being developed and administered. The pharmaceutical industry is doing everything it can to develop a vaccine. That said, the process of testing and ensuring the safety of a vaccine takes months. So, the coronavirus isn't going away any time soon. Evidence suggests the coronavirus is seasonal. The warmer months may offer us reprieve from the chaos. South American countries like Argentina and Chile have a very low ...
Without Rule of Law (WROL): 3 Most Likely Causes
Why Would We Be Without Rule of Law (WROL)? A scenario where a community is without rule of law (WROL) would be catastrophic. Governance is the reason behind our continued progress. Deterrence measures like the threat of prison time for breaking the law help to ensure citizens keep in line. The collective understanding of what is right and wrong helps to unify a population. If our social governance mechanisms were to break down, then social order would devolve into chaos. What could possibly destroy the institutions we've built over centuries? The three biggest threats that would leave us without rule of law are global disaster, distrust of government, and war. I'll discuss each in...
How Close Are We to SHTF?
The Doomsday Clock Approaches Midnight The doomsday clock is just 100 seconds away from midnight. It has never been closer to the top of the hour than it is today. What does this mean? How close are we to SHTF? Well, for the technologically advanced society we are, we have a lot to worry about. The novel coronavirus scare is turning into a full blown pandemic. The trade war between China and the US continues on. Worsening weather is wreaking havoc across the globe. I understand this post isn't the most uplifting, but new threats to our livelihoods are emerging with increasing frequency. This doesn't mean we need to resign ourselves to the prospect of an early death. We can be proa...
What are the Chances of an Asteroid Strike and Can One be Avoided?
Close Call Less than a month ago, a "city killer" asteroid whizzed by Earth, shocking scientists. The asteroid, known as Asteroid 2019 OK, wasn't tracked by scientists until just days before it passed by within 45,000 miles of the Earth. In the great expanse of space, 45,000 miles is a very close call, especially with such little forewarning. What if we don't get so lucky next time? What are the chances of an asteroid strike and can we even prepare for one? Below I detail the probability of an asteroid strike, how we're monitoring asteroids, and what we can do if an asteroid is headed towards Earth. What's the Probability of an Asteroid Strike? In 2013, a 65 foot asteroi...
5 Lessons Learned from the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster
Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster: The Aftermath The Chernobyl nuclear disaster was the most devastating avoidable mistake committed in the 1980's. The mistake was so costly, in fact, that a radius of 1,600 square miles surrounding the former site of the power plant is uninhabitable. While the total number of lives lost and impacted is undetermined, thousands of cases of cancer are attributed to the radiation emitted from the remnants of the reactor. Twenty-three percent of Belarus's former territory is now off-limits. The estimated cost of the cleanup is $235 billion and counting. While I can continue listing the horrifying effects of the disaster, I'll instead focus on what happened and...
