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cover art for Episode 46: Can Technology Save Us? (Part 4 - Nuclear Fusion)

Breaking Down: Collapse

Episode 46: Can Technology Save Us? (Part 4 - Nuclear Fusion)

Ep. 46

In this episode of the "Can Technology Save Us?" mini-series Kory and Kellan discuss nuclear fusion - its potential for providing vast amounts of energy, as well as the serious roadblocks to its actualization. 

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  • 1. Episode 1: Introducing Collapse

    32:19||Ep. 1
    What is collapse? This episode introduces the topic of the podcast, establishing a foundation for the conversation moving forward. Is it a conspiracy? Is it a certainity, or are we talking about a one-off chance? Will it happen during our life time? These questions and more answered in this episode.Support the show
  • 2. Episode 2: Complex Society

    34:32||Ep. 2
    The complex state of our society makes us especially vulnerable to collapse. As a result of building this system, we each rely on it to keep us alive and have therefore lost our independence.In this episode we answer the question of what it means to be complex, and why it is so dangerous.Timeline of Human Technological AdvancementWhat Makes a Society Complex?Diminishing Returns of Technological AdvancementEMP Report (EMP Commission)Coronavirus and the Supply ChainSupport the show
  • 3. Episode 3: The Energy Crisis

    36:35||Ep. 3
    Energy fuels our lives. So why have we risked so much by devouring energy that can't be replaced and is unsustainable? Every wildfire hits a peak where it burns at maximum heat and covers the largest area, before it dies down due to insufficient fuel sources. Our society, also at its peak, must eventually face the same decline.Learn More:Energy Slave - Comic Energy SlavesA Short History of EnergyEnergy and Human EvolutionWhat is Oil Used For?Jevon's ParadoxWhy Renewables Can't Save the PlanetEROEIPeak OilSupport the show
  • 4. Episode 4: Overshoot & Limits to Growth

    56:41||Ep. 4
    In this episode we discuss the concept of overshoot, and the consequences it has on society and our ecosystem. We also discuss the book Limits to Growth, which is based around computer modeling done at MIT to discover the fate of our society in the next 50 years. Learn More:Limits to Growth PDFSupport the show
  • 5. Episode 5: Catabolic Collapse

    40:07||Ep. 5
    In this episode we discuss one of the mechanisms by which societal collapse happens over time, and what it looks like for every-day people.Sources:How Civilizations Fall: A Theory of Catabolic Collapse - John Michael GreerDark Age America - John Michael GreerGDP GrowthInfrastructure Report CardSupport the show
  • 6. Episode 6: The Financial System

    49:42||Ep. 6
    The massive social experiment that is our financial system is truly understood by few. This episode details how we are practically victims of history's largest Ponzi scheme. How long will the con last?Learn More:The Crash Course (Full Course)The Crash Course (Short Version)Fractional Reserve BankingHow does the Federal Reserve create money?Money in CirculationUS Debt ClockZimbabwe HyperinflationSupport the show
  • 7. Episode 7: Political Turmoil

    40:21||Ep. 7
    Politicians have power because we have given it to them. What happens when the people decide that power is no longer legitimate?Learn More:On CorruptionOn VotingBreaking the Two Party SystemIncome Inequality"The Collapse of Complex Societies" - Joseph Tainter The French Revolution“Dark Age America" - John Michael GreerOn Essential WorkersWhat Causes Revolutions?"Medellin, a city caught between love and hatred for Pablo Escobar"Systemic Police Brutality and its Costs in the United StatesOn Poverty in the USACan Netflix’s Stock Double in 2020?On Bread and CircusesHow to Understand Power“It Could Happen Here" - Robert Evans“How the Arab Spring Started and How it Affected the World”Support the show
  • 8. Episode 8: Climate Change

    40:31||Ep. 8
    In this episode we discuss the major impacts of climate change and its role in collapse.Learn More:On Ice Free Arctic 2035On “Faster Than Expected” Permafrost Melt“Faster Than Expected” ExamplesWhy 1.5 isn’t going to happenWhen could we see a 2 degree warmer world?The Difference Between 1.5 and 2 DegreeesAir Pollution Deaths at 2 Degrees vs 1.5 DegreesHow many die annually from air polution?What could 2050 look like? (1)What could 2050 look like? (2)California Wildfires - 2020Support the show
  • 9. Episode 9: Questions from a Skeptic

    43:56||Ep. 9
    In this episode Kellan asks the questions he's had on his mind throughout our conversations. Support the show