Solar Panels In Space?

"Solar power is a nice idea. Except for the issue with the clouds. And the nights. So, how about we instead put solar panels up in space and then beam the energy down? This futuristic idea is known as “Space Based Solar Power”. It’s been around since the 1960s, but in recent years several nations have launched projects to make it reality. I think they’re not kidding. Space-Based Solar Power is about to become a real thing. But how is it supposed to work? Is it a good idea to beam energy down from space? What are the pros and cons? That’s what we’ll talk about today."

Click on the link below for an in-depth, objective view of this energy option in the future:

How crazy is the idea to beam solar energy down from space?

Herd Mentality: The Good And The Bad

"When we come together in groups we can be so much more than the sum of the parts. But sometimes groups are just much more stupid. Collective stupidity is the flipside of collective intelligence, and we see it a lot on social media. Why are groups sometimes collectively stupid and sometimes not? What can we do to be more intelligent in groups? In this video, I explain the most important points."

Click on the link below for better understanding of this psychological biological trait:

Collective Stupidity -- How Can We Avoid It?

Comparing The Brain To A Computer

"In which sense are brains similar to the devices we currently call computers, and in which sense not? What’s the difference between what they can do? What's the status of current technology. And is Roger Penrose right in saying that Gödel’s theorem tells us human thought can’t just be computation? At the end of this video, you will know the answers."

Click on the link below for the details:

Is the brain a computer?

Waste Heat: A Climate Change Issue That Is Smoldering

"All power plants create waste heat that contributes to global warming. At the moment, the contribution is fairly small, but if mankind flourishes it is bound to increase and eventually it will become a problem. The only thing we can do about it is to build an air conditioner for the planet. Scientists have come up with ideas for addressing the problem that I hope you will find entertaining."

Click on the link below for an interesting look at the long-term risks of climate change:

Waste heat will boil the oceans in about 400 years

Geothermal Energy: A Little-Talked-About Alternative To Fossil Fuels

"There is a lot of energy right under our feet, a relic from Earth's hot past as a ball of plasma. But how much can geothermal energy realistically do for us? What technologies are currently being pursued, what are the risks, and is it even carbon neutral? In this video, we have collected all the relevant facts and numbers for you." 

Click on the link below for another excellent "Science Without The Gobbledegook" video by Sabine Hossenfelder:

Geothermal Energy How Big is the Potential?

Hydrogen: Feasible As A Replacement For Fossil Fuels?

Out of all the alternatives to fossil fuels, hydrogen is not mentioned in the same breath as wind, solar, or nuclear. Sabine Hossenfelder goes in-depth in the video below to explain all of the pros and cons regarding it:

Hydrogen Will Not Save Us. Here's Why.

A Current Look At Life Extinction On Earth

There have been five mass extinctions since the Earth was formed and 99+% of all species have gone extinct in Earth's history. Since I consider this to be an important issue, I offer the following two videos that may update you on current thinking on the subject:

Human Extinction: What Are the Risks?

Earth currently experiencing a sixth mass extinction, according to scientists

An Evidence-Based Look At Fake News

"Does fake news spread better than true news? Do bots spread fake news? What can we do against fake news? Does social media increase political polarization? Is it true that we all live in political echo chambers? In this video, we look at what scientific studies have found and what we can learn from that."

Click on the link below for the scientific details "Without The Gobbledygook:"

Fake News, Echo Chambers & Polarization: How Bad Is Social Media?

Food Labels: Can You Trust Them?

Most of us who are health conscious read food labels and expect the results of rigid scientific research. Click on the link below for an enlightening 20-min video from Sabine Hossenfelder shattering that confidence:

How Much Can You Trust Calorie Labels?

Can Thoughts Affect Quantum Reality?

The brain is mysterious as is quantum mechanics. Thus, the temptation to accept claims by some "experts" that just thinking about influencing quantum reality can affect it. If you want the answer, click on the link below for an enlightening 18-min video on the subject:

Does Consciousness Influence Quantum Effects?

Masculinity, Testosterone, And Reality

"Forget war, forget climate change, recessions, pandemics. Today we will talk about a real crisis: the decrease in testosterone levels. Just look at all of those headlines. There must be something going on, but what? Are testosterone levels really falling? If so, why? And how much of a crisis is it? That's what we will talk about today."

Click on the link below for a 15-min video by * Sabine Hossenfelder presenting the "Science Without The Gobbledygook" on the matter in her usual dry sense of humor:

The End of Masculinity Has Been Somewhat Exaggerated

* Sabine is one of the most knowledgeable, entertaining, and skeptical people regarding all aspects of physics. Click here for her YouTube Channel.

What Really Is "Nothing?"

If you follow modern physics deeply, you realize that the definition of "nothing" does not have a consensus. Sabine Hossenfelder is one of the best communicators of physics to the layperson of whom I am aware. Her YouTube Channel, "Science, without the gobbledygook", skeptically looks at the claims of physicists. Click on the link below for her understanding of the reality of "nothing:"

What is "Nothing"?

Evan Buchholzhttps://unsplash.com/@vnbuchholz92.

We Just Don't Know (Yet?)

"Physicists have many theories for the beginning of our universe: A big bang, a big bounce, a black hole, a network, a collision of membranes, a gas of strings, and the list goes on. What does this mean? It means we don't know how the universe began. And the reason isn't just that we're lacking data, the reason is that science is reaching its limits when we try to understand the initial condition of the entire universe."

Click on the link below for a fascinating presentation on "The Beginning.:

* Did the Big Bang Happen?  (* I have an issue with the terminology used in the video: I think that the everyday use of the term "Big Bang" to mean a single point where our universe began and expanded IS "settled science", but that every speculation "before" then is not. Sabine delves into the "before" issue in more detail here.)

Human Population: What Is The "Goldilocks" Level?

"Should we worry about overpopulation or, as Elon Musk has argued, should we worry more about underpopulation? How many people could live on our planet and how close are we to reaching the "Limits to Growth"? In this video, we look at how much we know and what we can conclude from this."

There has been an honest discussion regarding the best level of humanity on our finite planet since the majority of human societies have become "developed". In my opinion, the answer is still elusive but we must attempt to get to the "Goldilocks" level and maintain it as soon as possible. Click on the link below for an interesting presentation on this important matter:

Is Elon Musk right in saying that we are too few people?

More On Quantum Mechanics

"What is the meaning of quantum physics? What does quantum mechanics mean? What is it telling us about the true nature of reality? Are particles at the quantum level fuzzy and spread out, two places at once, or in two different states at once, or affect each other instantly over any distance? Not really. There is no consensus on quantum reality."

In essence, it is weird but supported as real as any other established reality. Click on the link below to go deeper into it:

What is Quantum Mechanics Really Trying To Tell Us About Reality?

Creator: agsandrew | Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

Copyright: agsandrew

Another Example Of The Difficulty Of Explaining Consciousness

"In this video I talk about a few approaches to mathematically describe consciousness and its shortcomings. I also briefly talk about what such studies could one day be good for."

Sabine Hossenfelder is a physicist who addresses the controversial topics within physics not only with knowledge but with discernment regarding the line between evidence and hypothesis. This video is a good example of her qualifications:

The Mathematics of Consciousness