Editing Twin Nuclei Problem
The edit can be undone. Please check the comparison below to verify that this is what you want to do, and then publish the changes below to finish undoing the edit.
Latest revision | Your text | ||
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
The '''Twin Nuclei Problem of Cell and Atom''' is the recognition that having gained the power to manipulate cellular and atomic nuclei between 1952 and 1953, humanity is now in possession of unprecedented destructive power, and thus capable of self-extinction. All of human civilization is now one correlated experiment, and any sufficiently large event may be enough to end it, limiting its long-term future. That such an event has not yet occurred is largely a function of growth and luck. Since the early 1970s, growth has stagnated in all but a few economic activities, and as evidenced by the coronavirus pandemic, luck is fragile and running out. [[ | {{stub}} | ||
Β | |||
The '''Twin Nuclei Problem of Cell and Atom''' is the recognition that having gained the power to manipulate cellular and atomic nuclei between 1952 and 1953, humanity is now in possession of unprecedented destructive power, and thus capable of self-extinction. All of human civilization is now one correlated experiment, and any sufficiently large event may be enough to end it, limiting its long-term future. That such an event has not yet occurred is largely a function of growth and luck. Since the early 1970s, growth has stagnated in all but a few economic activities, and as evidenced by the coronavirus pandemic, luck is fragile and running out. The idea was first introduced in [[ep18#Twin Nuclei Problem of Cell and Atom|Episode 18]] of [[The Portal Podcast]]. | |||
== Preconditions == | == Preconditions == | ||
[[File:Ivy Mike atmospheric nuclear test - November 1952 - Flickr - The Official CTBTO Photostream.jpg|right|thumb|Mushroom cloud from the first detonation of a Teller-Ulam staged-fusion device.]] | [[File:Ivy Mike atmospheric nuclear test - November 1952 - Flickr - The Official CTBTO Photostream.jpg|right|thumb|Mushroom cloud from the first detonation of a Teller-Ulam staged-fusion device.]] | ||
The conditions for the Twin Nuclei Problem began at the end of World War II, with the use of atomic fission bombs on the cities of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiroshima Hiroshima] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagasaki Nagasaki] to force Japan's surrender. <!-- Duck and cover still plausible with fission | The conditions for the Twin Nuclei Problem began at the end of World War II, with the use of atomic fission bombs on the cities of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiroshima Hiroshima] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagasaki Nagasaki] to force Japan's surrender. <!-- Duck and cover still plausible with fission, hydrogen fusion bombs change everything. 1952 Ivy Mike detonation. --> | ||
[[File:DNA-structure-and-bases.png|right|thumb|Structure of DNA.]] | [[File:DNA-structure-and-bases.png|right|thumb|Structure of DNA.]] | ||
Line 29: | Line 31: | ||
A clip from [[ep18#Twin Nuclei Problem of Cell and Atom|Episode 18]] of [[The Portal Podcast]]. | A clip from [[ep18#Twin Nuclei Problem of Cell and Atom|Episode 18]] of [[The Portal Podcast]]. | ||
{{#widget:YouTube|id=pxKvFettlWg}} | {{#widget:YouTube|id=pxKvFettlWg}} | ||
== Eric's Explanation from Discord == | == Eric's Explanation from Discord == | ||
Line 89: | Line 86: | ||
* [[Science, The Endless Frontier (1945)]] | * [[Science, The Endless Frontier (1945)]] | ||
* [[Science Since Babylon]] | * [[Science Since Babylon]] | ||
[[Category:Twin Nuclei Problem]] | [[Category:Twin Nuclei Problem]] | ||
[[Category:History]] | [[Category:History]] |