From: David Lubkin (lubkin@unreasonable.com)
Date: Wed Sep 15 1999 - 12:01:00 MDT
Watching the storms heading up the coast reminded me of the old science
fiction dream of weather control. Assuming that we keep this planet, and
people still want to live on it, the weather will still be a factor in a nanotech,
space-faring, AI/IA future, as will earthquakes, volcanos, etc.
Given quadrillions of sensors and lots of computational power, how far in
advance can we predict severe or extreme weather and seismic events?
How can we divert or dissipate them?
The only idea I've ever heard is somehow using strategically placed, low-yield,
clean nuclear weapons, either for earthquakes or for tsunamis. What would
happen if you sent a terawatt power beam from orbit to the eye of a
hurricane? Can we use our advanced warning and automatically move all
structures out of range? Are there natural planetary forces strong enough to
damage a diamondoid beanstalk?
Beyond dealing with crises, can we have true weather control? How?
With how fine a resolution in space and in time?
-- David Lubkin.
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