What a grasp of reality “SMELLING LAND” conveys
April 28th, 2008
David Sanborn Scott’s “SMELLING LAND” is a wonderful book and what a grasp of reality it conveys. I found the idea of oxygen as a “fossil fuel” startling, but eminently sensible. What a brilliant insight! I had to re-arrange my high school chemistry concepts. The writing style is delightful, projecting an unusually clear and broad vision.
We all know, to some degree, that we are in the waning stages of the “hydrocarbon era”. We can reduce personal energy consumption, buy smaller cars, walk more, turn down the heat and lights, but such moves only delay the inevitable. Even if there were an unlimited supply of oil, the attendant carbon emissions would force us in new directions. The author conveys this reality simply, and most convincingly. His insights, and a grasp of the facts on which he bases them, could have a profound impact on the future - if they reached the right people. If all university engineering, physics, and chemistry students were exposed to such a lucid and fundamental vision, our future scientists would steer us in new directions.
The approach should begin with high school chemistry and physics courses. At this level humans have surprising difficulties with fundamental physics concepts. The focused study of physics “unmuddles” the mind, and in high school the “unmuddling” process is still in the early stages. The focus should be on addressing energy concepts in depth to provide the necessary foundation to grasp the concept of exergy, the available energy associated with a physical process. Current high school “once-over-lightly” approaches create a false sense of understanding that is difficult to overcome at more advanced levels.
At the university level, students in the physical sciences should have a major encounter with thermodynamics. In my opinion, the undergraduate teaching of thermodynamics needs a whole fresh approach. It is frequently treated like a neglected stepchild, and often poorly understood by those trying to teach it. The author’s insights and understanding would add great interest and a new sense of urgency to that field.
The general public must also become involved. The author’s ideas can easily be conveyed to intelligent lay people, and I am convinced that considerable public interest and discussion would result. Who would not be enthralled by the thought of a small fuel cell in the basement generating electricity for appliances and light, as well as looking after heating and cooling. Widely-read news magazines could probably be readily convinced to bring the reality before the public.
The author not only makes us aware of the urgency of the current situation, but he proposes a simple and realistic solution, justifying it with seemingly-irrefutable logic. He makes a most convincing argument that our future will be powered by hydrogen and electricity. He calls it “hydricity”.
If we can convince ourselves logically that a move in this new direction is not only necessary, but clearly inevitable, we must assume the new direction decisively, marshaling all of our technical and intellectual resources to conquer the technical hurdles. A second Manhattan Project is called for. It will take us in new directions, and the entire world will happily follow. There will be loud interference from vested interests but for that we can prepare ourselves beforehand.
David Sanborn Scott’s book is significant. It must not be ignored.