Carrying capacity of the Earth

[Shuffler]

I agree with you.

Who knows what weird thing might show up in the future as an energy source?

Perhaps the perplexing airplane on a treadmill is actually a source of power multiplication we are striving for.

[Brooke]

Just you wait until I come up with Brooke's Vacuum Energy Flux Capacitor.

[Shuffler]

Just you wait until I come up with Brooke's Vacuum Energy Flux Capacitor.

I thought that only panned out when you changed it's usage to a fancy toilet and changed the name to Brooke's Vacuum Assisted Flex Capacitor.

[Zimme83]

Rule 1: if it breaks the laws of thermodynamics its false. Even if its on Youtube.

[Ramesis]

It seems to me that we puny humans CANNOT affect the earths
future... therefore, this debate is moot!

[TWCAxew]

It seems to me that we puny humans CANNOT affect the earths
future... therefore, this debate is moot!

Bacterial once made the world flourish and evolved into intelligent lifeforms, I don't see how we can't destroy it

DutchVII

[Skuzzy]

Careful with that word "intelligent" Dutch. The implications are far reaching.

[DaveBB]

Speaking of bacteria and energy, they are the reason that higher life evolved.  Our mitochondria are ancient aerobic bacteria with their own DNA.  Billions of years ago a cell engulfed another cell to eat it, but instead of disolving it, a sort of symbosis formed.  This is what gave rise to eukaryotic cells (versus more primitive prokaryotic cells). 

We only get our mitochondria from our mothers, as that DNA is only passed along with the egg.  The rest of our DNA is a mixture of our mother and father's.

[BBQsam]

It seems to me that we puny humans CANNOT affect the earths
future... therefore, this debate is moot!

Aces High contradicts this statement.

[AKKuya]

It seems to me that we puny humans CANNOT affect the earths
future... therefore, this debate is moot!

Ever here of MAD?  Mutual Assured Destruction.  We have enough nukes to get the job done.  Take millions of years for total recovery.

[DaveBB]

We've already unlocked enough mercury from the burning of coal to make eating fish dangerous.  The same goes for PCBs, which haven't been dumped into rivers since the 1970s, but continue to stay in the food chain.  Only about 1% of the Earth is habitable (when considering the mass).  We absolutely can (and have) made a big change.  Think of it as a small aquarium stuffed full of fish.  It's going to find equillibrium one way or another, but probably not before a massive die-off.

[Mister Fork]

If having 7 billion of us is destroying the planet and consuming almost all it's natural resources, do you all honestly think we can put another 4-5 billion here? Research from the UK and Canada at the UN showed that a infinitely sustainable population of 2B is about as much as the planet can handle. Even the 1 billion figure was questionable. (here)

So, 10 billion will be the max, and then the planet will shake us off like a bad cold with climate change, rising water levels, lack of fresh water, disease, and running out of resources will kill us all off. Then after a few hundred million or a billion years, the remaining animals, insects, and bacteria, will reform a new equalized species regime on our planet...just sans humans.

[Shuffler]

Aliens must have made the earth heat and cool before humans.

[Puma44]

More importantly, what’s the carrying capacity of this thread?

[AKKuya]

Since I am good at solving the world's problems, I will let the rest of you on this handy gem.

Vertical agricultural farming.

Humans have been doing this on high top hillsides and in the cities with rooftop gardens.  Take the next logical step with our industrialization methods with regards to vertical structures and infrastructure compatibility.

Take a ten square acre plot of land in the country.  Build a 10 story complex in that location.  Each level is 50 feet tall and enclosed.  Each level is filled with the dirt, topsoil, and water sprinkler and reclamation system.  A well placed system of moving mirrors reflects outside light through large windows on all sides.

Food crops will be more sustainable and not subject to drought and flooding like crops fields are in the open.  Bad weather like hurricanes, tornados and thunderstorms could damage or destroy the complexes. 

If we are running out of square area, then going vertical within said square area will be the best future option.  This will require money and resources.  More competition will ignite the usual reduction in costs over time.  Building millions of these structures will keep the population fed.

Grazing animals can be implemented in this approach also.  They will require a very good ventilation system.