Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => The Environment => Topic started by: thedoc on 22/02/2012 16:24:36

Title: What are the biggest conservation issues at the moment?
Post by: thedoc on 22/02/2012 16:24:36

Richard Hollingham explores the hotlist of conservation issues facing the world today...
Read a transcript of the interview by clicking here (http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/1966/)



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Title: Re: What are the biggest conservation issues at the moment?
Post by: CliffordK on 09/02/2012 05:54:14

I don't foresee miniaturizing the nuclear thermal electric generators in the future.  And, thus it will likely be easier to track the waste than tracking waste AA batteries.

However, I could see a distinct advantage for a small thermal electric generator plant in Antarctic, rather than relying on Diesel generators for those months when the sun doesn't shine.  And, as we were discussing in another chain, perhaps low level thermal energy production will become part of the nuclear fuel waste stream.

It certainly doesn't hurt to look at technology for recovering rare earth elements from sea water, but it likely isn't anywhere near being economically viable at this time.

Mining sediments from the deep sea?  I have thought that may be a method to recover material for the low lying islands that are struggling with land mass issues.  I suppose eventually we will look for mineral deposits locked in deep sea ridges, and go after them with robotic technology.  If pollution could be kept to a minimum would building underwater caves benefit sea life?

There is all this talk about the warming of the deep...  but how much is the deep sea actually warming?  Is there a threshold for methane release?  The greatest risk to the deep sea would be overwhelming the ocean  mixing by adding substantial amounts of low density water to the Arctic.  Which means not allowing glacial lakes to get too big.

Title: Re: What are the biggest conservation issues at the moment?
Post by: Geezer on 09/02/2012 20:09:02

I am always very wary of things that were "Compiled by an international team of experts".

And behold, we are into Nukeular Batteries in a heartbeat! What a load of cobblers. I suspect the "international team of experts" were too busy brushing up their resumes (CVs) to pay much attention.



(TNS would like to point out that any editorials by the erstwhile "Geezer" are neither promoted or endorsed by TNS.) MOD

Title: Re: What are the biggest conservation issues at the moment?
Post by: CliffordK on 09/02/2012 20:34:08

Hmmm,
I see they are miniaturizing the nuclear batteries.
http://www.gizmag.com/smaller-nuclear-battery/13076/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_battery

It would be nice to get a laptop battery that wouldn't need recharging, but I'm not sure that I'll choose to put a radioactive source on my lap.

I know devices such as tritium exit signs are closely regulated.  I have no doubt these nuclear batteries are also tightly regulated.  And it doesn't take much to reduce the radioactive material in a device the size of a penny to background levels. 

Tritium, of course, has a short enough of a halflife that in a century or so, it is virtually all gone.

Should we be concerned about the environmental impact of smoke detectors that we are REQUIRED BY LAW to purchase?