$25M prize for hacking global warming

[mhaze]

Billionaire Bransen offers $25M prize (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6345557.stm)to anyone figuring out how to hack global warming...

[scratchy]

Stop using coal, oil and gas. Where do i pick up the money?

[baskett_case]

Stop using coal, oil and gas. Where do i pick up the money?

:wackylaugh:

[mhaze]

The prize is for figuring out how to remove CO2 from the atmosphere in large quantities; changing human behavior is not a hack.

[mhaze]

The goal is to find a way of removing one billion tonnes of carbon gases a year from the atmosphere for 10 years. The winner will receive $5 million US up front and the remaining $20 million after the 10-year time frame. If no winner is identified after five years the judges may decide to extend the competition.

[PixyMisa]

Buy more books.

[PixyMisa]

Let's see... We have CO2, molecular weight 44, and we're using it to produce cellulose, (C6H10O5)n, molecular weight 162 (for the monomer). We need six molecules of CO2, total molecular weight 264, to produce one cellulose monomer, so for each kilo of cellulose we produce we are using up about 1.6 kilos of CO2. Good.

Let's say the average book masses, oh, 625 grams. That means each book sold takes 1 kilo of CO2 out of the environment. To remove a billion tons a year simply means selling a trillion books, about 160 per person, or three a week.

Well, I've done my part these past few decades. The rest of you had better get cracking so I can get my money. :mad:

[Harpoon]

I suppose global thermal-nuclear war (GTNW, or 'GetNew') wouldn't go over well. Bummer.

It's all I can see: the polluters can't cut the pollution, so cut the polluters. And that nuclear winter would cause an immediate drop in temperature.

GTNW has all sorts of other advantages besides decimating the population.

We can develop earth-friendly technologies afterward once we rediscover fire and reinvent the wheel.

Oh well... even if we humans lack the resolve to take the necessary measures, the earth has proved through time it eventually addresses species that overwork their niche.

Have a nice day.:)

[mhaze]

Let's see... We have CO2, molecular weight 44, and we're using it to produce cellulose, (C6H10O5)n, molecular weight 162 (for the monomer). We need six molecules of CO2, total molecular weight 264, to produce one cellulose monomer, so for each kilo of cellulose we produce we are using up about 1.6 kilos of CO2. Good.

Let's say the average book masses, oh, 625 grams. That means each book sold takes 1 kilo of CO2 out of the environment. To remove a billion tons a year simply means selling a trillion books, about 160 per person, or three a week.

Well, I've done my part these past few decades. The rest of you had better get cracking so I can get my money. :mad:

Hmmm....you would not happen to be associated with these people (http://www.videosift.com/video/South-Park-explains-Scientology), would you? I know they encourage buying a lot of books...

[Paul C. Anagnostopoulos]

I save the world from certain doom and I get a lousy $25 million?

~~ Paul

[mhaze]

I save the world from certain doom and I get a lousy $25 million?

~~ Paul

Okay, be like that. I'll throw in free beer for life.