The folks at the GPRI point out that the phosphorus in just one person’s urine would be close to the amount needed to fertilize the food supply for one person. So why not recycle urine? In fact, NoMix toilets have been invented which allow for the collection of urine separate from solid wastes, allowing phosphorus and nitrogen to be recovered and used as fertilizer. In addition, crop biotechnologists are exploring ways to produce plants that dramatically increase the efficiency with which they use phosphorus, which would reduce the amount fertilizer needed to grow a given amount of food.
Urine recycling would be not just handy, but perhaps crucial, for space settlements.
On the broader point, as long as we have affordable energy and knowledge there’s no reason to run out of anything. The biggest problem is the overabundance of stupidity on the part of those who would rule our lives.
“I am truly honored to receive the 2010 Arthur C. Clarke Foundation’s Innovator’s Award,” Worden said. “This prestigious award recognizes technology trailblazers whom I personally admire, and I am proud to be considered among them.”
I’m surprised, but pleased that Pete, probably the most politically incorrect center director ever, has survived the transition. But fortunately, he has friends in high places, if not all the way up in the White House.
Maybe politicos should do more research before imposing half-baked energy mandates?
It wouldn’t do any good. They’re mostly too stupid to understand the results of the research, or too much on the take from the benefitting industry to care. But they get to pretend to be saving the planet.
Speaking of biodiesel, will the same be true of biokerosene? Is the “green aviation” initiative another unintended consequence on the way?
And I wonder if it’s happening in space at all? I haven’t looked at the new budget in detail, so I’m not sure if nuclear is one of the technologies being restored. If not, it’s futile to develop new propulsion technologies if there’s no way to power them.
I’ve been suffering with a crummy DSL connection for months, since the move back to CA (I’ve had to reboot the modem often, because it seems to slow down and start dropping packets periodically, with multi-second delays on pings). But yesterday, Verizon fiber finally came to the house.
This is real broadband, for the first time at home. It’s like night and day, in terms of page loads and video.
[Update a few minutes later]
No, I don’t know why the date is wrong. I did the test today. Maybe I should try a different site.
[A couple minutes later]
Bandwidthplace says that it’s about 4 Mbps up and 15 down.
Those tiny black dots are nanobots delivering a lethal blow to a cancerous cell, effectively killing it. The first trial on humans has been a success, with no side-effect.
Faster, please. I wonder if innovations like this will continue under ObamaCare?
