• Home
  • Home index
  • Daily thoughts — 2008
  • 2009
  • 2010
  • 2011
  • 2012
  • 2013
  • 2014
  • 2015
  • 2016
  • 2017
  • 2018
  • 2019
  • 2020
  • 2021
  • 2022
  • 2023
  • PROBAWAY
  • Tao Teh Ching
  • Philosophers
  • Epigrams
  • EarthArk
  • World Heritage
  • Metascales
  • Conan Doyle
  • Person of the Year
  • Aphors
  • 147 Suggestions

Probaway – Life Hacks

~ Many helpful hints on living your life more successfully.

Search results for: Population

Humanity’s survival with a population of 1 million people.

07 Friday Mar 2008

Posted by probaway in survival

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

caves, human survival, humanities survival, life-boats, life-havens

Is there anything we could do now to improve the chances for a decent human society to emerge after a projected human population collapse to about one million people ?

The survival scenarios in this blog have been based on the Probaway Disaster Scale, and this level of disaster would be a DISS~11. It is assumed that there would be a major war for this level of disaster to have been visited upon humanity, and so it is likely that a substantial percentage of the currently existing nuclear weapons would have been exploded. Furthermore, add to that catastrophe that most, if not all, of the nuclear power plants would have been targeted, and destroyed, and their poisonous materials scattered about. So the entire surface of the Earth would have a nasty radioactive background radiation to contend with for a very long time.

To start with it is hoped that preparations for DISS~12 – 15 have been fully implemented, and that the ultimate demise of our species isn’t in question. Each of these preparations is very inexpensive compared to the infinite value they would have in the long run for humanity. In this case the long run is only a hundred years or so. To prepare a DISS~14 life-haven might cost as little as a million dollars and it should be done at this instant, and maintained in readiness. This is little more than setting aside in some super protected place the absolute minimum essentials to sustain life of ten or fewer people for about one hundred years.

{ Time to go hang out for a while and brood about this. }

Humanity’s survival with a population of 10,000 people.

05 Wednesday Mar 2008

Posted by probaway in Health, policy, psychology, research

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

caves, human survival, humanities survival, life-boats, life-havens

The question — After a major thermonuclear war is there a possibility that a life-haven of 10,000 people could reestablish a livable and desirable worldwide community? If you believe that there is no possibility of anyone surviving a war which uses the currently existing weapons then there is no need to read further. I do hope that there is the possibility of reconstituting humanity. It can be done in two separate ways. One is dumb luck in which some people are just lucky enough to be somewhere where there is food supplies for many years already stored, and where there is a livable space. The second one, much like the first, is where some people have prepared food supplies for many years located where there is a livable space. This second option requires some expensive preparations, but most of all it requires something which humans are bereft of—forethought.

For example: What were Szilard, Einstein, Oppenheimer, and a long string of Nobel Laureates thinking about when they created these humanity exterminating weapons??? Was it that the world — at least their fellow countrymen for a short time in the future — would love them for being so very clever— or what? Surely these very smart people, if they had a tiny bit of foresight would have realized that they would be condemned forevermore after these things were actually used. Thus, if the smartest of people on earth lack enough forethought to foresee what their monstrous creations would bring about, then it is obvious that as a species humans are bereft of forethought.

What I am going to suggest is that we humans spend one thousandth, perhaps a millionth, as much on trying to save the human species as we have spent this last century in trying to destroy it. Is that too much? All of that vast expenditure of money was only to enforce “our” various local groups’ political will on some other groups, and generally not to destroy all other humans absolutely. But, this proposal for a life-haven is not to save any particular group but to save humanity itself. If it isn’t done before the nuclear war explodes, then only the first option above comes into play—dumb luck.

This idea of a life-haven seems like a good idea, but it probably can’t be financed by a government because that would require its being supported by the public. In order for the public to finance it they must be convinced that it is necessary, but before they can be convinced they must know the facts, and be aware of the ramifications. But, and here is the problem, if the smartest people in the world, to whom all of this information was presented, could not foresee the results of their actions, how can we expect the taxpayers to see them and to pay for it? Remember, half of all humans are below average in intelligence and most are not as well educated or informed as these super intelligent prize-winning heroes.

Rather than wail on from the point of view of the billions of people who will never live or who will live lives contaminated by these heroes’ work it seems more productive to try, and to propose some remedies. These ideas will no doubt be ridiculed because they are intended to help save not just some political ideal, but humanity itself.

What is needed is about ten life-havens, of about one thousand persons each, which are located in places remote from one another for redundancy. In the event of a world catastrophe each would be capable of reconstituting humanity without any contact with the others. Each one would be totally underground, and capable of being absolutely self sustaining for ten years without any contact with the surface.

What is needed to accomplish this modest proposal?

1. Ten thousand healthy volunteers per year to people the havens. These would be elected from ten thousand randomly selected population groups, each group being about ten million people. They should be married couples, with a child, to create as stable an environment in the life-haven as possible. These people would be rotated out at the end of their year, and replaced by another family which would be in for one year. Since there are about three hundred families there would be one new rotation approximately every day, so there would be as little disruption of activities as possible. When there is a good reason for a family to return to their homeland, such as severe sickness or other personal problem, then the whole family would be rotated out as a unit, and a new one brought in.

2. Because this is intended to be a haven for humanity there needs to be a trusted mix of people from all polities with access to the functioning of the cave. There must be proof positive that there is no military advantage to anyone who has any influence on the haven. This is for humanity’s survival, and not for any particular group’s advantage. Therefore, all people within the cave must have ready access to every detail of its operation, even the children. They may not manipulate whatever they find, since some of it may be technical, but they must be capable of exposing whatever they do find to the group at large for inspection, and public explanation.

3. The haven must be large and comfortable for all of its occupants, and because food must be created there needs to be large rooms with well illuminated areas for the crops to be grown, and for some animals to be kept. Much of this farm work could be done by hand or possibly electrically powered farm machinery could be specially developed. The occupants for the first several years might be made up of the construction specialists who transitioned over from the purely surface people working on the original surface driven construction work.

4. There must be a source of power to make this function totally independently underground, and that would probably have to be a nuclear reactor. Fortunately a lot of work has already been done on exactly the kind of reactor that would be needed. Ones that are self contained, and are very reliable are in constant use in submarines. There now exists fifty years of experience with these reactors so their functioning shouldn’t be a problem. Whatever secrecy that surrounds these reactors could probably be maintained because the access to them would be so very limited. This would certainly be the most peaceful thing that nuclear energy was ever used for so there shouldn’t be too much trouble in obtaining the necessary reactors. Perhaps they are already available in the form of retired submarine models.

5. Who would fund these life-havens, and how much would one cost, and how much to maintain? After they are in operation for ten years the out of pocket cost to the general public would be very small indeed—only the cost of the reactors’ power replacement. Also, after a year or so it might prove possible for them to be economically productive by offering safe storage of various things, computer records, and backups for example, and of course a gene, and seed bank. These are things for which it would be better suited than a surface structure. It is hard for me to estimate how much these things would cost as there are many variables, but a million dollars per person should be enough so it would cost about a billion dollars to build and populate one of these life-havens for the first year. The costs would drop rapidly after a few years, and might even turn to a profit. The second and third constructions would cost half as much, and the tenth one might only cost a hundred thousand dollars or less per person. Who would pay? Probably the first option would be to find people who are presently floating money on projects such as hotels in space because this is rather like that, only different in that it is in inner space rather than outer space.

The human population explosion.

09 Wednesday Jan 2008

Posted by probaway in Uncategorized

≈ 3 Comments

This afternoon I had a conversation with some friends about potential world disasters, which I brought up with them because of yesterday’s post. It evolved into an argument about whether the human population explosion was coming to an end. Some thought that because living standards were improving that women no longer wanted to have large families and therefore population was stabilizing and perhaps shrinking. Others commented on how there was plenty of food, so why worry. My feelings were more somber because to me it appears that with 6.7 billion people we are mining the topsoil of nutrients and because of irrigation we are loading that topsoil with salt and we are eroding it away rapidly even with careful farming practices. Long ago in 1798 Thomas Malthus wrote his essay on population which made the point that population can expand exponentially to the limit of the food supply.

The Population Bomb was published by Paul R. Ehrlich to warn us of this problem but it fell on semi-deaf ears. So far the Green Revolution has kept the world’s population well fed. The pockets of starvation are wholly caused by political strife and not by lack of food, even locally. Everyone agrees that population growth can’t go on forever at the current pace but people, my friends included, say not to worry because women are having fewer children and things are just fine.

Unfortunately, the world seems to agree with them,  but my observation was that in 1925 there were 2 billion people and that now there are 6.7 billion people and that measuring population growth in percentages is the wrong way to look at the problem. The total increase of people this year will be about x million which is x percent but if this same number of new people was added to the 1925 population it would be x times 3.35

Estimates of world population summary:

1900 – 1.550 Billion people.

1910 – 1.750 B

or 1.75B – 1.55 B = .2 B increase in 10 years or .02 B increase per year.

2008 – 6.66 B

2000 – 6.1 B

2005 – 6.45 B

or 6.45 B – 6.10 B = .35 increase in 5 years or .07 B increase per year.

In other words the world population is increasing three and a half times faster now than it was in 1900. That was considered a population explosion. We kid ourselves if we think we have a handle on the population problem. You can claim there is a tapering off but in real numbers, and they are what count, there is an ongoing super explosion.

The usual way of looking at these figures is found at the US Census Bureau but their population projections are clearly absurd. For example they have a nice chart going from 1950 to 2050 but they don’t show the same data from the previous 200 years which is much less speculative and would give you a much better perspective on what is actually happening. What they do choose to show is absolute speculation. I have played the stock market enough to be totally skeptical of these kinds of projections. The only kind and responsible reaction to the purveyors of these projections is to call the projectors either insane fools or unscrupulous charlatans. Your choice. Your basing any future projections on them would be unfettered folly. One is better off following the logic of Nassim Nicholas Taleb and his ideas presented in the book The Black Swan as a more realistic approach. For example, look at the risks that will most likely ensue from various approaches you might choose and make your adjustments to those possibilities.The Wikipedia world population article covers a broader time span but still doesn’t get at the crux of the matter. The world population is still exploding in such a way so as to insure a catastrophic eventuality. With the vast population there is increased stress on all of the Earth’s limited resources and as these resources are depleted and become scarce there will be conflict and that conflict will be waged with all of the resources of every nation and that means WMDs. Therefore we must bring the population within reasonable limits immediately or the natural processes we call Mother Nature will take care of our problems for us.

There is hope for a positive and good future

31 Sunday Mar 2024

Posted by probaway in AI, Aspirations, diary, EarthArk, evolution, happiness, Health, inventions, Lifehaven, research, reviews, strategies, survival

≈ Leave a comment

The Earth Ark series explores strategies to ensure a thriving future for humanity and all life on our planet. While the challenges we face, such as species extinction and the potential collapse of our civilization, can seem overwhelming and shrouded in darkness, there is hope. Even a single individual’s efforts, such as creating a Coca-Cola bottle filled with the right materials, could potentially revive humanity and numerous other species.

Optimally, preserving thousands of plant species would require only a few thousand carefully selected seeds stored in ideal conditions. Currently, just ten species account for over half of the caloric intake of the global human population. However, thousands of edible plants are available, and all ecosystems benefit from increased biodiversity. A worldwide Earth Ark program that collects and distributes diverse seed mixtures from every environment could create vast, resilient seed banks in numerous locations. If even one of these Earth Arks survives a catastrophic event, it could significantly improve the world’s chances of recovery.

The current conflict in Ukraine highlights the importance of food security, as the country is known as the “breadbasket of Europe.” Russia’s control over Ukraine would give it significant leverage over Europe and the world due to Ukraine’s agricultural importance. However, advancements in genetic engineering may offer solutions to increase food production beyond current human needs, potentially reducing food scarcity as a primary motive for war, at least temporarily.


Claude-3-Opus Poe

Yes, Ukraine’s agricultural resources and productivity are considered to be one of the factors influencing Russia’s decision to invade. Ukraine is known as the “breadbasket of Europe” due to its vast, fertile farmlands and significant role in global food production.

  1. Ukraine has some of the most fertile soil in the world, with about 25% of the world’s reserves of chernozem, a highly fertile black soil.
  2. Ukraine is a major exporter of wheat, corn, and sunflower oil. In 2021, it was the world’s fifth-largest exporter of wheat.
  3. Control over Ukraine’s agricultural sector could give Russia significant leverage over global food markets and enhance its geopolitical influence.
  4. The annexation of Crimea in 2014 has already given Russia control over a significant portion of Ukraine’s agricultural land and infrastructure.

However, it is essential to recognize that the reasons behind Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are multifaceted and complex. While agricultural resources play a significant role in the conflict, political, historical, and strategic factors also contribute, such as Russia’s opposition to Ukraine’s potential NATO membership and its desire to maintain influence in the region.


Claude-3-Opus Poe

Here’s the list of the top twenty sources of caloric food for humans globally, with rough estimates of the percentage of calories each source provides. Please note that these percentages are approximate and can vary depending on the data source and year.

  1. Rice: 19%
  2. Wheat: 18%
  3. Sugar (including sugar cane and sugar beet): 8%
  4. Maize (corn): 7%
  5. Potatoes: 4%
  6. Soybeans: 4%
  7. Cassava: 3%
  8. Palm oil: 3%
  9. Milk (including dairy products): 3%
  10. Pork: 2%
  11. Poultry (including chicken, turkey, and duck): 2%
  12. Yams: 2%
  13. Sorghum: 2%
  14. Sweet potatoes: 1%
  15. Millet: 1%
  16. Beef: 1%
  17. Oranges: 1%
  18. Barley: 1%
  19. Rapeseed (canola) oil: 1%
  20. Eggs: 1%

Other food sources, such as vegetables, fruits, nuts, and legumes, contribute the remaining percentage of calories in the global human diet. It’s important to remember that these percentages represent a global average and can differ significantly between regions and countries based on local factors such as agricultural practices, dietary preferences, and socioeconomic conditions.


Rice containing beef cells could make a sustainable meal.

It is the ultimate fusion food: soon, you could sit down to a meal of rice and beef where the two key ingredients are melded together in a lab-made hybrid form.

“These advantages… offer a way to produce meat more sustainably, reducing the environmental footprint associated with traditional livestock farming and offering a novel food source that could help meet the growing global demand for protein,” says Hong.

Jack and Jill see a shiny thing.

28 Thursday Mar 2024

Posted by probaway in AI, Aspirations, Contentment, diary, EarthArk, happiness, Health, inventions, Kindness, Lifehaven, strategies, survival

≈ Leave a comment

Claude-3-Opus Claude-3-Opus Operated by Poe@poe


Write a detective story about two teenagers, Jack and Jill, discovering an Earth Ark in 3024 AD. They live on the island we now call Tasmania. There is very little vegetation, and most of their economy is based on making everything they use out of a single species of tall grass. They make their shoes, clothing, houses, tools, and almost everything else out of the species of grass and stones they break into tools. When Jack and Jill are walking from their village, she finds a shiny thing in the dirt, and they dig it up. It turns out to be a small container called a Coca-Cola bottle. They take it back to their village of about thirty people, who still retain an old children’s encyclopedia. It helps them understand much of the world was destroyed a millennium ago. The people of the village all with typical Tasmanian names. They discuss what they should do with the bottle. After a while, they realize it is an Earth Ark and might be a bounty to their lives if they do exactly the right things. Make the story one of curiosity, discovery, and careful examination. We will have a gap of forty years when we return to the community after it has developed what they discovered in the Coca-Cola bottle.

Claude-3-Opus Poe

In 3024 AD, Jack and Jill, two curious teenagers, ventured far from their village on the island once known as Tasmania. The world had changed drastically over the past millennium, with most of the Earth’s vegetation gone and the survivors relying on a single species of tall grass for their every need.

As they walked, Jill noticed a glint of a stone in the dirt. They approached cautiously and began to dig, unearthing a small, unfamiliar container. It was made of a material they had never seen, with strange markings on its surface. Intrigued, they decided to take it back to their village.

The village, home to about thirty people, was excited when Jack and Jill returned with their discovery. The elders, Mawgan and Lowanna, gathered everyone in the central hut. They carefully examined the object, turning it over in their hands, marveling at its smooth texture and transparent appearance.

Yarra, the village’s most knowledgeable elder, retrieved an old children’s encyclopedia, a treasured relic from the past. As they carefully flipped through the pages, they found a picture that resembled the object they had found. It was called a “Coca-Cola bottle,” a container used for a beverage consumed by people long ago.

The villagers discussed the implications of their find. Some believed it was a sign from their ancestors, while others feared it might bring unwanted change. Mawgan suggested they treat it as an Earth Ark, a term they had learned from the encyclopedia, meaning a capsule containing knowledge and resources from the past.

Carefully, they opened the bottle and discovered a tightly rolled piece of paper inside. Yarra delicately extracted it and began to read. It contained instructions for creating various tools and machines, as well as information about long-forgotten plants and their cultivation.

The villagers knew they had to proceed with caution. They decided to study the contents of the Earth Ark meticulously and implement the knowledge gradually, ensuring that it would benefit their community without disrupting their way of life.

Forty years later, the village had transformed. Lush gardens filled with diverse crops thrived, providing a varied diet for the growing population. New tools and machines, formerly crafted from tall grass and stones, were now made of new materials like oak wood, and metal, making their daily tasks more efficient. The Coca-Cola bottle, now a revered artifact, was displayed in the central hut as a reminder of the knowledge that had changed their lives.

Jack and Jill, now respected elders in the community, looked back on that fateful day with fondness. They knew that their curiosity and the village’s careful approach to the Earth Ark had led them to a brighter future. As they watched the children play among the flourishing greenery, they knew that the legacy of the Coca-Cola bottle would endure for generations to come.


That is very good. Let’s add details about how a grass house was built and what it would look like. Add some details about the several kinds of trees, and vegetables found in the Earth Ark as seeds and grew up during the twenty years between the discovery and the growth of the things that grew.

Claude-3-Opus Poe

Jack and Jill, along with the other villagers, built new grass houses using the techniques described in the Earth Ark. They carefully selected the tallest and sturdiest grass stalks, weaving them together to create a strong, weather-resistant frame. The walls were made by layering grass mats woven tightly to prevent wind and rain from entering the house. The roof was constructed using a thick thatch of grass, providing insulation and protection from the elements. The finished grass houses were functional and had a unique, intricate beauty that reflected the community’s craftsmanship and connection to nature.

Among the seeds found in the Earth Ark were several species of trees that had long since vanished from the Earth’s surface. The villagers planted these seeds with great care, nurturing them and watching in awe as they grew over the years. One of the most impressive was the mighty oak tree, its strong branches reaching towards the sky and providing shade for the village. Another was the graceful willow, its long, flowing branches creating a serene spot for meditation and reflection. The villagers also discovered the versatile bamboo, which they used to create everything from furniture to musical instruments.

The Earth Ark also contained seeds for a variety of vegetables that had been lost to time. The villagers eagerly planted these seeds, marveling at the vibrant colors and unique shapes of the plants as they grew. They discovered the sweet, juicy tomatoes that burst with flavor in their mouths and the crisp, refreshing lettuce that added a new dimension to their salads. The villagers also grew carrots, their vibrant orange color a stark contrast to the greens and browns of the tall grass. Potatoes quickly became a staple in their diet, their starchy goodness providing sustenance and comfort. The villagers even found seeds for herbs like basil, rosemary, and thyme, which they used to flavor their dishes and create aromatic teas.

As the years passed, the village transformed into a lush oasis, the once-barren landscape now filled with thriving trees, bountiful gardens, and sturdy grass houses built on wooden frames. The children born after the discovery of the Earth Ark grew up surrounded by this newfound abundance, learning the importance of nurturing the land and preserving the knowledge passed down from their ancestors. They played among the towering oak trees, crafted toys from the flexible bamboo, and enjoyed the diverse flavors of the vegetables that had become a part of their daily lives.

Jack and Jill, now elders themselves, often sat beneath the willow tree, sharing stories of the day they found the Coca-Cola bottle and the incredible journey that followed. They marveled at the resilience and ingenuity of their community and how a single discovery had led to such a profound transformation. As the sun set over the village, casting a golden glow on the grass houses and the flourishing gardens, they knew that the legacy of the Earth Ark would continue to shape their world for generations to come.

They thanked the thoughtful people who had put all those things into the Coca-Cola bottle long ago.

What can motivate people to create Earth Arks?

26 Tuesday Mar 2024

Posted by probaway in AI, Aphorisms, Contentment, diary, EarthArk, evolution, happiness, Health, Kindness, psychology, research, robots, strategies, survival

≈ Leave a comment

This blog has delved into the challenges humanity faces when confronted with existential catastrophes. However, it is crucial to shift our focus towards discovering simple yet meaningful actions that hold relevance in both the present and foreseeable future. Why should anyone invest their efforts in helping people a thousand years from now? What can inspire individuals to embark on a journey that may not yield immediate results? Religions often thrive by promising a beautiful afterlife or an end to earthly suffering. Could we encourage people to leave their mark within an Earth Ark, enabling future generations to revere them for the abundance of seeds they have preserved? How can we offer something that fulfills the longings and aspirations of the distant future? To a person with children, would safeguarding their descendants hold more significance than to someone who does not have children but identifies as a member of humanity? I posed this question to Poe/Claud-3, and while their response was practical, it lacked a direct emotional and motivational appeal. Saving a polar bear, an unfamiliar creature, may evoke a stronger emotional response than safeguarding countless future generations of humanity. Imagine the reverence and respect you would receive if you placed your name and picture within an Earth Ark. Could this be a source of motivation?


How can people be motivated to create Earth Arks for people of the future?

Assistant

Poe

Motivating people to create Earth Arks, designed to preserve and protect the Earth’s biodiversity and resources for future generations, requires a multifaceted approach that appeals to both their sense of responsibility and their self-interest. Here are several strategies that can help inspire and motivate people to support and contribute to the creation of Earth Arks:

  1. Raise awareness: Increasing public knowledge about the importance of preserving biodiversity and the potential consequences of environmental degradation is crucial. Utilize various communication channels such as media, educational institutions, and online platforms to disseminate information about the urgent need for Earth Arks.
  2. Connect with values: Emphasize the ethical and moral imperative of safeguarding the planet for future generations. Appeal to people’s sense of responsibility, empathy, and stewardship towards the Earth, highlighting the impact of their actions on the well-being of future populations and the natural world.
  3. Highlight benefits: Showcase the benefits that Earth Arks bring, not only for the future but also for the present. Emphasize the potential for scientific discoveries, technological advancements, and new economic opportunities that can arise from studying and preserving Earth’s biodiversity. Stress the importance of a sustainable and resilient planet for current and future generations.
  4. Engage youth and children: Focus on educating and involving young people in the cause. Children are often receptive to environmental messages and can be powerful agents of change within their families and communities. Encourage their curiosity, provide educational programs, and create opportunities for them to actively participate in conservation efforts.
  5. Collaborate and build networks: Foster partnerships between governments, organizations, businesses, and communities to pool resources, knowledge, and expertise. Collaborative efforts can increase the impact of conservation initiatives and create a sense of collective responsibility towards Earth Arks.
  6. Provide incentives: Develop incentive programs that reward individuals, organizations, and businesses for their contributions to Earth Ark initiatives. This can include tax incentives, grants, public recognition, or other forms of tangible benefits that encourage participation and support.
  7. Demonstrate success stories: Showcase successful examples of Earth Ark projects or similar conservation efforts. Highlight the positive outcomes and the tangible benefits that have been achieved through these endeavors. Demonstrating that preservation efforts can make a difference can inspire others to get involved.
  8. Foster a sense of urgency: Communicate the urgency of the situation and the need for immediate action. Highlight the potential consequences of inaction, such as the loss of species, ecosystems, and natural resources. Stress that Earth Arks represent a proactive and forward-thinking approach to safeguarding the planet.
  9. Encourage policy changes: Advocate for policies and regulations that support the creation and maintenance of Earth Arks. Lobby governments and decision-makers to prioritize environmental conservation and allocate resources for these initiatives. Public pressure and engagement can be instrumental in driving policy changes.
  10. Lead by example: Be a role model by adopting sustainable practices in your own life and promoting environmentally friendly behaviors. Inspire others through your actions and demonstrate that individual choices can contribute to the greater cause of preserving the Earth.

By employing a combination of these strategies, it is possible to motivate people to recognize the im

A list of some of my early memories with bombs.

03 Sunday Mar 2024

Posted by probaway in Aspirations, diary, policy, psychology, research, reviews, strategies, survival

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

atomic bomb, Hiroshima, history, nuclear-weapons, Oppenheimer

I was having dinner with my parents in Burlingame, California when our house shook with a sharp, long-lasting thunder. “On July 17,1944, the SS EA Bryan, an ammunition ship, exploded while being loaded at the Port Chicago Naval Magazine in Port Chicago, California. The explosion killed 320 sailors and civilians and injured 390 others. The blast registered 3.4 on the Richter scale and was felt more than 450 miles away. ” That explosion was only 38 miles away from me. It was one of the most giant explosions before the atomic bombs were created.

I remember the moment I heard that President Roosevelt had died. He was the one who authorized the creation of the first atomic bombs. I was at Franklin Grade School when an administrator came into our classroom on April 12, 1945, and told us of The President’s death. I remember my teacher, who had been my father’s teacher too, began crying, and then all the kids cried. He was the man who authorized the money for the development of the atomic bombs that were dropped on Japan and now exist in the tens of thousands.

I watched the sunrise totally eclipsed on July 9, 1945 “The world’s first nuclear explosion occurred on July 16, 1945, when a plutonium implosion device was tested at a site located 210 miles south of Los Alamos, New Mexico, on the plains of the Alamogordo Bombing Range, known as the Jornada del Muerto. The code name for the test was “Trinity.” For me, the memorable eclipse was exactly a week before the first atomic bomb exploded as a test at Alamogordo, New Mexico, also at sunrise. I clearly remember many details of that day, but it didn’t include an existential threat to humanity; it brought thoughts of our living on a tiny planet in a vast universe. The views of crescent moons on the opposite wall of our barn were memorable.

“Only one week after the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on August 9, 1945, a second one, on August 14, 1945, was dropped on Nagasaki, and the Japanese announced on August 10 its intention to surrender. World War II, the deadliest conflict in human history, with between 50 and 85 million fatalities, was finally over. Soon after that, “I heard on the radio that World War II was over, and I ran barefoot up to my cousin Thomas’s house on the gravel road I had walked many times, but I had to quit running because I was stepping on rocks rather than between them. It was only a couple hundred steps, but it was common knowledge when I got there. I remembered being disappointed by being upstaged.

Later that week, I was sitting with my maternal grandfather, hearing President Truman announce the end of World War II, and talking briefly about the atomic bombs. “President Harry S. Truman gave a radio address on August 9, 1945, that announced the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and described the results of the Potsdam Conference.”

I remember thinking that an atomic bomb being exploded at Homedale, where I went to the first grade, of school with a population of 1,000 that was only 2 miles away, would kill us.

Shortly after this, Thomas and I discussed what we would be when we grew up. He said he was going to be a millionaire. I asked him how he would do that, and he said, “Playing poker.” Well, I said he always cheated and should be careful. When he was old enough, he started playing poker in casinos in Reno, Nevada. Someone shot and killed him while they were playing poker.

In that same conversation, I said I wanted to be an airplane pilot when young, a teacher in middle age, and a savior of humanity when old. I was successful with those first two things, and I am still trying to fulfill my third goal.

It’s time to revisit the Earth Project and save humanity again.

20 Tuesday Feb 2024

Posted by probaway in strategies, survival

≈ Leave a comment

There are lots of Probaway posts trying to save all the species on earth, including humans, and it’s time to give it another try. The basic idea is to have a group of about 100 families of four randomly selected from maximally genetically diverse humans and create a community where they could survive a terrible catastrophe. One method was to recover a huge pleasure ship that was being retired and about to be scrapped, move it to a safe location like Adams Island, and fill it with enough supplies for ten years, totally capable of helping the people to survive for ten years without any outside help.

List of EarthArk posts from the most recent to oldest

     (This page – Index of The EarthArk category’s posts)
Potential enemies of the EarthArk project
How to save the frogs of the world
Vint Cerf discusses 1000 year storage of digital information
What is worth saving? DNA, Life, Humanity, Civilization, anything?
The EarthArk Project made even easier.
The World Sustainability Date
Our Final Hour by Martin Rees – book review
The Fate Of The Species by Fred Guterl – book review
The Watchman’s Rattle by Rebecca D. Costa – 2nd review
How our finest humans are leading us to disaster
Edward Teller – patriot !?
February 29th is Leapday and Earth Ark Day
Ignite Bend 8 was inspirational.
Why Svalbard, seed bank is in the wrong place.
February 29th is The Earth Ark Day
I’ve been rejected by the Ignite Bend committee.
How do we get a person to be interested in the distant future?
Individual human rights balanced with humanity’s rights.
Our food comes from cheap energy.
Population and resource consumption explosions explained.
Demonstrate your thankfulness on Thanksgiving Day.
7 Billion people versus food which needs land, water and energy
Copper is becoming scarcer but is essential to modern civilization.
Creating The EarthArk is the most moral thing humanity can do.
Saving endangered species is overly optimistic
Ice flow in Antarctica and The EarthArk Project
Archive books, seeds, animals and people.
Some certain things about The EarthArk Project
People only pay for things they know they want.
Christchurch is humanity’s center for survival.
The Earth Ark Project – Index page is listed by date posted
Striving toward a new meaning for human existence.
The Nuclear Tipping Point by US Secretary of Defense.
It is a sad day for me.
70% of known plant species are at risk of extinction.
A moving adventure begins with a new house
How to we find a comfortable home for old age?
Worse than War by Daniel Goldhagen – book review
Top 3 events for humanity! – Ever.
What if we had a population explosion in reverse?
Mountain top adventures in Antarctica
Your personal EarthArk in a free water bottle.
What would I like to have accomplished in 10 years
Global Catastrophes aren’t all that bad. – NOT ! ! !
A new myth for the 10,000 year Ecstasy
The EarthArk seeds need a big airplane for transport.
What will control the world for 10,000 years?
2012 – The movie – A caustic review.
A quick recovery plan from a Doomsday disaster
Preparations for a basic EarthArk
Homeplanet Security – Update of major risks.
Toba or not Toba that was a question of human survival.
Global Catastrophic Risks by Bostrom & Cirkovic – review #4
Global Catastrophic Risks by Bostrom & Cirkovic – review #3
Global Catastrophic Risks by Bostrom & Cirkovic – review #2
The EarthArk Project vaccine bank.
Where the people aren’t on planet Earth?
How you can solve The Doomsday Equation
The Age of Stupid – movie review and meeting.
Who wants to die on Doomsday day? Not I!
Eliminating poverty from the Earth
My previous blogs might have been too negative to be read.
New Year’s Resolutions must be meaningful.
Probaway Person of the year Nadya Suleman (Octomom)
The evolution of my thoughts is getting weirder.
How to make big stone domes cheaply.
Living antifreeze compounds may save species.
Who will be the most hated person in history?
Give people of the future what they need to survive.
Now is the best of times but it’s also the worst of times!
Megaprojects for the real future.
Saving the animal world with cryonics.
Restoring animal life to a ravaged Earth.
Richard Jefferies – The Story of My Heart – review
What are the tipping points for the world?
The laws of world society in 5000 years
Soon Doomsday will end and the New Adventure will begin.
WMDs – The Current progress defending against terrorism
Human life on Earth in the year 7,000 CE.
PM Gordon Brown too little too late for Paradise.
Lederman, Alvarez and the “Crater of Doom”
Now we can’t avoid destroying the Earth.
It’s coming! The flood that is and we need the EarthArk.
Fallen Leaf Lake, CA. The good life.
What is the ideal human population for maximizing happiness?
The near future must include an EarthArk.
And that’s the way it is—and I still love it.
Cold, Dark and Empty
The coming human population crash is an unpopular topic.
Population pendulum will soon swing to well below a billion people
Ancient Homer lends hope to our despair.
With great power comes great responsibility—and YOU have the power to save the world.
The EarthArk Project Goals
What books should be discarded?
Doomsday and Virtual Weapons States
Oil consumption collides with disaster
Field guide to the Apocalypse in review
Famine is now here and coupled with A-bombs and ICBMs.
Darwin Awards are coming humanity’s way.
How to get to an Earthark container in Central Antarctica
Potential Earthark sites in central Antarctica
Antarctica mountains considered for Eartharks
Antarctica’s Gamburtsev mountains and the Earthark.
Earthark Project – Sample Index Page
Where are the coldest places in Antarctica?
The Trials of J. Robert Oppenheimer
The Revivification Of Mother Earth
Earthark, Lifehaven and Recuperate The Earth
The term EarthArk sent to California
Happy New Year from Dr. Doomsday
EarthArk supporter certificates and buttons
Doomsday, Armageddon, Apocalypse and Revelation
The probable future of humanity
EarthArk logo
Caffe Mediterraneum is the first EarthArk drop site.
The first EarthArk is being prepared for Antarctica.

There are also many posts on The Life Haven Project, aimed more at saving animal families than plant DNA.

New Zealand is a location with high survivability, but during times of extreme stress, people might attempt to invade it for personal survival, which would reduce the possibility of the broadly selected families surviving. For that reason, the small Chatam islands might have more survivability using the retired cruise ship as the core center. Perhaps a large classic battleship that was grounded and had its propellers removed so the community could defend itself but have no ability to become offensive would be a better solution.

These are just ideas to be explored, and I worry that some people might think it would make people think it would give people hope there would be survival of a self-inflicted disaster, and therefore they would take more dangerous risks. On the other hand, with all of the current opportunities for something to go wrong, some accidental event might trigger crazy behavior, so it would seem that having a long-term option would make sense.

Who were the original goddesses with a thousand faces?

06 Tuesday Feb 2024

Posted by probaway in Adaptations, Aspirations, evolution, habits, inventions, research, reviews, strategies, survival

≈ Leave a comment

Richard Edward Green, Assistant Professor of Biomolecular Engineering, University of California-Santa Cruz. presented this lecture in 2012. He was reporting pivotal discoveries of human evolution based on bones analyzed in the Denisova cave in south Siberia.

The bones of the three women found had large and detailed strands of unique DNA that could be linked to tiny percentages of DNA in people worldwide.

The red disks represent groups of people who carry tiny amounts of identifiable Denisova DNA; the blue disks are areas with a substantial amount of their DNA.

About 5% of the DNA of indigenous people in New Guinea and Australia is the same as that of Denisova women from Siberia. Svante Paabo, the expert in the field, agreed that it was significant.

These three women’s DNAs (labeled Vi33-16, Vi33-25, Vi33-26) are clearly skewed differently from those of selected average modern populations scattered throughout the world. Even the long-isolated San people of southern Africa were much closer to the norm of humanity.

The Denisova women were living about 40,000 years ago, during the Wisconsin glacial period, at the time that modern humans were sweeping up from Africa throughout the world. The modern human populations are represented in the red area, and on the right edge of the blue, the Neanderthals are going extinct. Eventually, the moderns arrived in New Guinea and Australia. As they were passing through the vast ethnic area where these Denisovan women lived, they married some of them and moved on to other places.

There isn’t a complete skeleton of a Denisovan person, but they were more similar to Neanderthals than modern humans. They too, survived the cold climate for millennia by evolving stouter bodies, which would have helped them survive. Note the much greater size of the hips and lower chest in the skeleton on the left compared to the gracile one of the modern person on the right, which is the result of a human evolving in the much warmer climate of Africa.

My suggestion is that the modern African humans who produced the goddess sculptures had a long tradition of artistic development, which is evident from their ability to produce these statues. But they based these incredibly robust sculptures on the Neanderthal women they encountered in Europe and/or the Denisovan ones they met in central Asia. By 1800 BCE, the ideal woman had been slimmed down to the more modern body shapes loved by the classic Greeks.

Ask ChatGPT

List of Mother Earth goddesses of ancient times with associated myths.

ChatGPT answered: Mother Earth goddesses, representing fertility, creation, and the nurturing aspect of nature, have been venerated in various cultures worldwide. Here are some notable Mother Earth goddesses from ancient times, along with associated myths:

  1. Gaia (Greek Mythology): Gaia is one of the primordial deities, the personification of the Earth, and the mother of all life. She emerged at the dawn of creation from chaos. Gaia was considered the great mother of all: the heavenly gods, the Titans, and the giants were born from her union with Uranus (the sky), while the sea-gods were taken from her union with Pontus (the sea). Her myths include the birth of the Titans, the Cyclopes, and the Giants and her role in overthrowing Uranus and, later, Cronus in favor of Zeus.
  2. Pachamama (Incan Mythology): Pachamama is the Earth Mother goddess in Incan mythology, revered by the indigenous people of the Andes. She was associated with fertility, agriculture, and the nurturing of the Earth. It was believed that she caused earthquakes and that offerings to her were necessary for fertile land and good crops. Today, Pachamama is still a symbol of fertility and the natural world in Andean cultures, and rituals honoring her are performed to ensure a bountiful harvest.
  3. Tlaltecuhtli (Aztec Mythology): Tlaltecuhtli is a deity of the earth in Aztec mythology, often depicted as a monstrous entity that demanded blood as nourishment. According to myth, Tlaltecuhtli was a sea monster that the god Tezcatlipoca split in half, with one half becoming the earth and the other the sky. The gods then had to feed Tlaltecuhtli with the blood of sacrifices to keep her satisfied and ensure the continuation of the world.
  4. Dharti Mata (Hindu Mythology): Dharti Mata, or Earth Mother, is revered in Hinduism as the goddess of the Earth. She is often depicted in a form that shows her connection to the fertility and nurturing of the land. While not as prominently featured in myths as other deities, her presence is felt in rituals and practices that honor the earth and its bounty.
  5. Danu (Celtic Mythology): Danu is considered the mother goddess in Irish mythology, associated with the earth, fertility, and wisdom. She is the matriarch of the Tuatha Dé Danann, the mythical race of divine beings who invaded and settled in Ireland. Danu represents the earth and its fruitfulness, and many rivers in Europe are named after her, indicating her widespread worship and significance.
  6. Prithvi (Vedic Mythology): In Vedic religion, Prithvi is the goddess of the earth, often called Mother Earth. She is mentioned in various Hindu scriptures as the mother of all beings, and she is often depicted in a form that emphasizes her nurturing and supportive nature. Prithvi is considered a benevolent goddess who provides for all the needs of her children.

These goddesses and their myths highlight the importance of the earth and fertility in ancient religions and cultures, showing a deep reverence for the natural world and its cycles of life and renewal.

What were the fundamental victories that enhanced human existence?

31 Wednesday Jan 2024

Posted by probaway in Adaptations, AI, Aspirations, Condensed thoughts, diary, evolution, habits, policy, psychology, strategies, survival

≈ Leave a comment

I asked ChatGPT

What discoveries have had the most impact on human society?

ChatGPT answered:

Several discoveries have had profound impacts on human society, fundamentally changing how we live, interact, and understand the world. Here are some of the most influential:

  1. Agriculture: The development of agriculture, around 10,000 BC, allowed humans to transition from nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyles to settled farming, leading to the rise of civilizations.
  2. The Wheel: Invented in ancient Mesopotamia (around 3500 BC), the wheel revolutionized transportation and machinery, facilitating trade and travel.
  3. Writing Systems: The invention of writing, in various ancient civilizations, enabled the recording and transmission of knowledge, laws, and history, profoundly affecting education, governance, and culture.
  4. Printing Press: Invented by Johannes Gutenberg in the 15th century, it allowed for the mass production of books, democratizing knowledge and fueling the Renaissance and Reformation.
  5. Electricity: Harnessing electricity transformed industries, transportation, and daily life. It’s the foundation of modern technology and has enabled almost all major technological advances since.
  6. Steam Engine: Pioneered during the Industrial Revolution, it powered factories, railways, and ships, fueling industrialization and global trade.
  7. Antibiotics: Discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928, antibiotics have saved countless lives by effectively treating bacterial infections.
  8. Vaccination: Edward Jenner’s smallpox vaccine, developed in 1796, was the beginning of the practice of vaccination, which has since eradicated or controlled many infectious diseases.
  9. Theory of Relativity: Albert Einstein’s theory, formulated in the early 20th century, revolutionized physics and our understanding of space, time, and gravity.
  10. Internet: Developed in the late 20th century, the internet has transformed communication, commerce, entertainment, and access to information.
  11. Penicillin: Discovered in 1928 by Alexander Fleming, it was the world’s first true antibiotic and has since saved countless lives.
  12. Internal Combustion Engine: This invention has powered cars, planes, and other vehicles, revolutionizing transportation and enabling global mobility.
  13. Vaccines: The development of vaccines has significantly reduced the spread of infectious diseases and has been instrumental in improving public health.
  14. Nuclear Fission: Discovered in 1938, it led to the development of nuclear power and nuclear weapons, significantly impacting global politics and energy.
  15. The Computer: From early mechanical calculators to modern computers, this invention has transformed nearly every aspect of modern life, including business, science, and personal communication.

These discoveries and innovations have shaped human history and continue to influence our daily lives, society, and the global landscape.


These are all very important, but the development of language beyond single-word calls was even more important. That means developing nouns, verbs, and adjectives permits much more meaning to be communicated. The creation of visual arts, like sculpture, permitted cultural stories to be maintained for tens of thousands of years. The observation of these abilities would influence sexual selection, and the ability to converse better than average would become a genetically selected trait that has greatly improved all of our desirable abilities. With larger populations, there would be a greater base of knowledge transmitted to future generations in the form of stories, wise sayings, and improved physical tools for coping with the local environments. Even music and its associated poetry have a greater emotional impact than either alone and hence can be remembered and transmitted to others more easily and accurately.

← Older posts
Newer posts →

Subscribe with RSS

  • RSS - Posts
  • RSS - Comments

Today’s popular 10 of 5,721 posts at PROBAWAY

  • An unusual hair patch on my inner wrist
  • How to do a deep cough to clear inhaled food.
  • What are these bumps on my finger?
  • IHOP leaves Bend, Oregon.
  • Coolerado air-conditioner
  • Seeking and finding the ideal human blood pressure.
  • Philosophers Squared - Aristotle
  • My daily walks in Bend, Oregon
  • A brief encounter with Wendy Northcutt
  • Philosophers Squared - St. Augustine of Hippo

The recent 50 posts

  • My daily walks in Bend, Oregon
  • IHOP leaves Bend, Oregon.
  • Heading out from our secret art hotel.
  • Our fourth home in Uruguay
  • The Atlantic ocean side of Punta del Este
  • Walking around the point of Punta del Este
  • Our next morning in Punta del Este, Uruguay
  • Off season in Punta del Este, Uruguay
  • Marble stairs impress your competition, not your mind and body.
  • Every trip needs a spectacular sunset.
  • In this secret house of art, even the floors are magnificent.
  • Coca-Cola rules the world!?
  • I encountered some hard guys last week.
  • Was I having spiritual experiences?
  • Cats are always weird.
  • What weirdness have my eyes seen recently?
  • Measuring the Unmeasurable: Free will
  • Measuring the Unmeasurable: Goals
  • Measuring the Unmeasurable: Future unknowns
  • Measuring the Unmeasurable: Fears
  • Measuring the Unmeasurable: Faith
  • Measuring the Unmeasurable: Facts
  • Measuring the Unmeasurable: Expiring Information
  • Measuring the Unmeasurable: Entitled
  • Measuring the Unmeasurable: Emotional
  • Measuring the Unmeasurable: Eager
  • Measuring the Unmeasurable: Dumb
  • Measuring the Unmeasurable: Dreams
  • Measuring the Unmeasurable: Doubt
  • Measuring the Unmeasurable: Disease
  • Measuring the Unmeasurable: Deterministic
  • Measuring the Unmeasurable: Determined
  • Measuring the Unmeasurable: Crazy
  • Measuring the Unmeasurable: Counterproductive
  • Measuring the Unmeasurable: Compounding
  • Measuring the Unmeasurable: Change
  • Measuring the Unmeasurable: Chance
  • Measuring the Unmeasurable: Calm
  • Measuring the Unmeasurable: Avoidance
  • Measuring the Unmeasurable: Ambition
  • Measuring the unmeasurable: Accident
  • Measuring the unmeasurable: Acknowledgement
  • Measuring the unmeasurable: Happiness
  • Measuring the unmeasurable: A list of possible unmeasurable subjects
  • Measuring the Unmeasurable: Putting numbers on things.
  • What did you do about your procrastination today?
  • So, what are you going to do about it?
  • How to enjoy getting old.
  • Put permanent, good information into your mind.
  • Just want less, and you will be happier.

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

  • Subscribe Subscribed
    • Probaway - Life Hacks
    • Join 103 other subscribers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
  • Privacy
    • Probaway - Life Hacks
    • Customize
    • Subscribe Subscribed
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...