Intro LO: After digesting this recent Scientific American article, the conclusion is simple: it’s (nearly) impossible that life on planet Earth is a singular event within the Universe. There must be other life-forms throughout the Universe. Hence, science-fiction is (much) more like science - and technology - than like fiction. The (alleged) sightings of...
Complexity vs simplicity
The global “youth scarcity” crisis (Axios)
20 Jan, 2025
Intro LO: The Axios Macro article below on demographics is a must-read. Actually, China is already facing this “youth scarcity” crisis and millions of young Chinese already refuse to contribute to the pensions for the elderly (eg, Bloomberg, 10 January 2025). The main solution appears simple but is actually complex: import of foreign labour to fill vacant domestic...
Does everything have a beginning?
11 Dec, 2024
A recent Aeon article (ie, Will we ever know the origins of the Universe?) touched an unresolved thought of mine: must the Universe truly have a beginning?? The Aeon article has a clear answer: No. Not necessarily. “The Malament-Manchak theorem presents us with a sobering limit: our observations, no matter how extensive, may never be sufficient to determine...
The ‘Mainstream Media’ Has Already Lost (the Atlantic)
9 Dec, 2024
Intro LO: In my view, the premise of this article (ie, winning versus losing) is wrong. Mainstream media have not (yet) lost. Actually, it might well be (much) worse: mainstream media are (slowly) becoming irrelevant. The reason for that (alleged) irrelevance is about facts versus opinions. Mainstream media have migrated towards opinions - rather than facts -...
Dutch PM: migrant integration failed
13 Nov, 2024
Monday, the Dutch PM said something that (very) many people (probably) believe as well: migrant integration has failed (eg, Volkskrant). In my view, not only in the Netherlands but also in Europe and in USA. Blaming Angela Merkel’s 2015 comment (“Wir schaffen das”) is relevant though too simple. The context of the PM’s remark is relevant: the Amsterdam soccer riots....
What Came First: Evolution or Life?
6 Nov, 2024
My blog title above has been borrowed from a recent email by the John Templeton Foundation. The answer depends on your precise definition of Evolution and of Life. The definition of Life is (very) complex. For example: Does Life include bacteria and viruses?? Does Evolution include collisions with asteroids and comets? Does water constitute Evolution, Life or a...
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