I think if a planet killer asteroid hits it won’t exactly matter our solar panels don’t work mate
I already mentioned 2.
Or think back to the extinction of dinosaurs, where after a meteorite crashed into earth the sun was blocked by dust for several years.
Picture a super volcano eruption covering the sky in ashes for thousands of miles
Here’s a quote from the wiki on super volcanos:
Large-volume supervolcanic eruptions are also often associated with large igneous provinces, which can cover huge areas with lava and volcanic ash. These can cause long-lasting climate change (such as the triggering of a small ice age) and threaten species with extinction. The Oruanui eruption of New Zealand’s Taupō Volcano (about 25,600 years ago) was the world’s most recent VEI-8 eruption.
Also, you wouldn’t need it to cover all of Australia to be disastrous, just enough to block a significant amount of solar farms.
Marin_Rider@aussie.zone 2 months ago
The_Terrible_Humbaba@slrpnk.net 2 months ago
sight
The meteor didn’t kill the dinosaurs, it was the dust cloud that did so by blacking out the sun. If you have sources of energy that are not reliant on the sun, it is very much possible to survive it. You can use artificial light to make grow food, and you can even make air processors if plants start dying. But you can’t do that if you have no power.
Marin_Rider@aussie.zone 2 months ago
no shit. and if it happened now, the dust cloud would essentially kill our civilisation as we know it. a small percentage of people would survive, and it wouldn’t matter if they had nuclear power or not, there are other power sources other than solar. arguing for nuclear in case a planet killer blankets us in dust for decades might be the worst argument I’ve heard in favour of nuclear
The_Terrible_Humbaba@slrpnk.net 2 months ago
And you’ve said absolutely nothing of substance while misconstructing what I’m saying and engaging in the type anti-science behavior that were it to come from climate deniers this community would rip on.
Firstly, the “planet killer” example, was just an extreme example to demonstrate how an unexpected climate event can render solar panels completely useless. Another example I gave you was ashes from volcanic eruptions. This is simple deflection and bad faith argumentation. Secondly, let’s continue on “planet killer event” anyway:
and if it happened now
And if it happened in 20, 50, or 100 years? Is your argument “I think if it happens now we’re fucked, so it’s pointless to prepare for the eventuality of it”?
the dust cloud would essentially kill our civilisation as we know it. a small percentage of people would survive, and it wouldn’t matter if they had nuclear power or not, there are other power sources other than solar
How would it kill civilization as we know it? Define “civilization”, and tell me what it would look like in that scenario, and why it’s not worth to try to minimize its destruction. And what leads you to believe only a small percent of the population would survive? And are they not worth preserving? Because even a small percentage can’t eat or breathe dust, and as I said, with enough power you can grow food, have clean water, and make breathable air. And what other power sources are you referring to? Nuclear is the second safest energy source after solar by a distant margin, and except for maybe wind and solar, it’s also the most environmentally friendly - which is important given these power sources would have to be setup in advance of the events in question, which could take hundreds or thousands of years to happen.
I’m tired of arguing this, especially with someone who doesn’t seem interested in arguing in good faith and is quite stubborn in remaining unscientific, so I’ll be leaving it at this.
kaffiene@lemmy.world 2 months ago
If you’re talking about an extinction level event like that which caused the death of the dinosaurs then I think we have bigger problems.
Couldbealeotard@lemmy.world 2 months ago
There are historical accounts of volcanic activity blocking the sky, I think in Europe, for a few years. For all we know it was the whole planet. That would definitely disrupt solar energy collection without being an extinction level event.
Diversity is a genuine factor of fossil fuel free energy generation.
kaffiene@lemmy.world 2 months ago
Literally no sun for years would mean no crops which means everyone and all their animals would be dead
Couldbealeotard@lemmy.world 2 months ago
Yea, it would be pretty rough.
The_Terrible_Humbaba@slrpnk.net 2 months ago
Care to point them out? As I’ve said, and expect to be common knowledge on a (I would expect) scientifically leaning community, the dinosaurs weren’t killed by the meteor, their death was caused by the blacking out of the sun. You have access to energy, you can make air filters, grow food, purify water. If you don’t have energy, then you die.
Regardless, this is a deflection from the main point, that was merely an extreme example, even volcanic eruptions could cause huge disruptions if you depend too much on solar power.
kaffiene@lemmy.world 2 months ago
Care to point them out? The fact all our crops would die is a big one
The_Terrible_Humbaba@slrpnk.net 2 months ago
You don’t need sunlight to grow crops, you just need energy; which in this scenario would require an energy source that is not the sun.