Can we go completely solar? With John McCone

Can we go completely solar? With John McCone

Author: Dustin Driver July 20, 2019 Duration: 1:10:44
In this podcast I talk to scientist and philosopher John McCone about his excellent article “Blueprint for a Solar Economy.” John outlines a way to transition from fossil fuels to solar power using some of our existing fossil fuel infrastructure and existing solar technology. He paints a pretty hopeful picture of a solar-powered society that produces almost no carbon emissions.  It’s a hopeful picture of the future, which is something we all really need right now—and I really need—especially after the last podcast on the pending global climate apocalypse.  We talk about a lot of really interesting things, including using existing gas pipelines in the solar-powered world, and jet engines that run on powdered iron. You can read John’s article on his website: Blueprint for a Solar Economy

Dustin Driver hosts This is a Science Show, a space where curiosity meets conversation. It’s built on the idea that genuine discovery begins with admitting what we don’t understand. Each episode brings together leading researchers, thinkers, and storytellers to explore questions that sit at the intersection of hard science and human experience. You’ll hear discussions that range from the practical challenges of climate adaptation to the speculative futures of interstellar settlement and the long-term evolution of our species. This isn't just a lecture series; it’s a collaborative investigation into how scientific inquiry shapes our culture, our stories, and our society. The dialogue is grounded yet imaginative, always returning to that foundational moment of wonder. Tune in for a thoughtful and accessible journey through complex ideas, where every conversation is an invitation to think more deeply about our world and what lies beyond. This podcast thrives in the territory between known facts and the vast unknown, making the profound both engaging and relatable for anyone who’s ever looked up at the night sky and wondered.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 33

This is a Science Show
Podcast Episodes
Is alcohol poison? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:13
This summer a lot of science news bubbled up out of the quantum foam, but the one thing that really caught my attention was booze. And not Oregon’s world-famous craft beers. A study landed that allegedly found that any a…
Why is raccoon scat deadly? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:03
That’s the bone-chilling shriek of America’s favorite pest, the trash panda. Or Raccoon. And while they may sound like demons shredding the flesh from helpless babes, there’s something even more terrifying about them: Th…
Should we make a humanzee? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:19
Psychologist and author David P. Barash recently wrote an article for Nautilus Magazine arguing that now is the time to make a humanzee. I wrote a story about an experiment gone horribly wrong. How are they related? List…
What is CRISPR? With Sam Sternberg [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:22
No fancy sci-fi introduction is needed this time, folks, because today we have world-renown CRISPR expert Sam Sternberg. Sam worked with biochemist, author, and science celebrity Jennifer Doudna to refine CRISPR gene edi…
Can you teach a computer to talk? With Kelly Davis [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:53
In this episode I had the opportunity to chat with the head of the Common Voice project, Kelly Davis. Kelly is a trained physicist who studied string theory before getting hooked on artificial intelligence in the late ‘9…
Is fusion power right around the corner? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:38
Nuclear fusion technology could herald a golden age of energy that will make the fossil fuel age look like the stone age! That’s right, limitless carbon-free energy for everyone, all thanks to the hard work of genius nuc…
Are we doomed to nuclear apocalypse? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:49
Are we headed for nuclear apocalypse? Everybody’s favorite crony capitalist and democratically elected dictator Vladimir Putin just announced an all-new nuclear-powered cruise missile that can hit any target on earth. Th…
Can you clone your dog? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:37
Barbra Streisand cloned her favorite dog and things didn’t turn out as expected. Why? And How? And, most importantly, Whuuuuuuuut? First, Streisand revealed in a recent interview with Variety Magazine that she had her re…
How do crawdads clone themselves? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:57
In science fiction they call it gray goo - nanobots that replicate without limits until eventually everything on the planet is a featureless gray goo. It’s the first thing that came to mind when I read a recent article i…
Are mole rats immortal? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:33
That’s right, naked mole rats may be the true underlords of this planet, shriveled immortals lurking beneath our feet, sewing discontent throughout society until humanity is on the verge of collapse. Explains the current…