"Several of the scientists I spoke with proposed global warming as the solution to Fermi’s famous paradox, which asks, If the universe is so big, then why haven’t we encountered any other intelligent life in it? The answer, they suggested, is that the natural life span of a civilization may be only several thousand years, … Continue reading The Great Filter: Civilization’s Lifetime
Tag: civilization
After Atlas, Malthus Shrugged
"In 2014 I was visiting a university in Alaska, and happened to sit in on a lecture by the Norwegian policy expert Willy Ostreng about the new geopolitics of the Arctic. After talking about climate change in the Arctic and the increased accessibility to oil and gas, he embarked on a detailed elucidation of the … Continue reading After Atlas, Malthus Shrugged
The Oldest Treasures From 12 Great Libraries – Atlas Obscura
"In the history of writing, bound books as we know them today arrive fairly late, so there are no actual “books” on this list. Instead, this is a wondrous collection of illuminated manuscripts, papyrus scrolls, and clay tablets. Some of these items you can even see in person, if you pay a visit." —Sarah Laskow. … Continue reading The Oldest Treasures From 12 Great Libraries – Atlas Obscura
