The concept of a "photosynthetic ceiling" was first introduced in Jared Diamond's book Collapse. Though Diamond certainly did not pioneer the idea, as far as I can tell he was the first to use the easily digestible term "photosynthetic ceiling", often referred to in other studies as human appropriation of terrestrial [...]

Continuing on the idea of agricultural wastes, we move to pyrolysis, a term used to describe the conversion of biomass (and non-biological waste products, as well) into constituent elements by exposing it to moderate temperatures (~500ºC) in the absence of oxygen for short periods of time (fast pyrolysis). Though general research [...]

For the past couple of years I've been following closely the words and ideas of Peak Oil guru Matthew Simmons. Simmons is a conservative energy analyst who, after taking a close look at the available data, has concluded that Peak Oil is upon us. Simmons is so convinced by his own [...]

The Bush administration has declared that this week is "energy week", as the President and his cabinet travel the country to tout the programs that will, in the President's words "help us reach another great goal: to replace more than 75 percent of our oil imports from the Middle East by [...]

Last night the President admitted: "America is addicted to oil, which is often imported from unstable parts of the world." The President went on to say that "the best way to break this addiction is through technology." According to President Bush, his proposed [...]