Geoengineering: The Governance Problem
Solar geoengineering refers to putting stuff in the atmosphere that would have the effect of counteracting greenhouse gases. Yes, there would be risks in undertaking geoengineering. However, those who argue that substantial dangers of climate change are fairly near-term must be willing to consider potentially unpleasant answers. Even if the risks of geoengineering are too substantial right now, given the present state of climate change, if the world as a whole doesn't move forward with steps to hold down emissions of greenhouse gases, then perhaps the risks of geoengineering will look more acceptable in a decade or two?
- 28/03/2019
- 5
Should We Abolish Statistical Significance?
The idea of "statistical significance" has been a basic concept in introductory statistics courses for decades. If you spend any time looking at quantitative research, you will often see in tables of results that certain numbers are marked with an asterisk or some other symbol to show that they are "statistically significant."
- 26/03/2019
- 3
What Did Gutenberg's Printing Press Actually Change?
There's an old slogan for journalists: "If your mother says she loves you, check it out." The point is not to be too quick to accept what you think you already know.
- 22/03/2019
- 2
The Remarkable Renaissance in US Fossil Fuel Production
M. King Hubbert was a big-name geologist who worked much of his career for Shell oil. Back in the 1970s, when OPEC taught the US that the price of oil was set in global markets, discussions of US energy production often began with the "Hubbert curve," based on a 1956 paper in which Hubbert predicted with considerable accuracy that US oil production would peak around 1970. The 2019 Economic Report of the President devotes a chapter to energy policy, and offers a reminder what happened with Hubbert's curve.
- 22/03/2019
- 5
Wealth, Consumption, and Income: Patterns Since 1950
Many of us who watch the economy are slaves to what's changing in the relatively short-term, but it can be useful to anchor oneself in patterns over longer periods. Here's a graph from the 2019 Economic Report of the President, which relates wealth and consumption to levels of disposable income over time.
- 21/03/2019
- 5
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