- Email: [email protected]
Taking the long view on the world's energy supplies
EDITORIAL
LOCATIONS UK Lacon House, 84 Theobald’s Road, London WC1X 8NS Tel +44 (0) 20 7611 1200 Fax +44 (0) 20 7611 1250 AUSTRALIA Tower 2, 475 Victoria Avenue, Chatswood, NSW 2067 Tel +61 2 9422 2666 Fax +61 2 9422 2633 USA 225 Wyman Street, Waltham, MA 02451 Tel +1 781 734 8770 Fax +1 720 356 9217 201 Mission Street, 26th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105 Tel +1 415 908 3348 Fax +1 415 704 3125 TO SUBSCRIBE UK and International Tel +44 (0) 8456 731 731 [email protected] The price of a New Scientist annual subscription is UK £143, Europe €228, USA $154, Canada C$182, Rest of World $293. Postmaster: Send address changes to New Scientist, PO Box 3806, Chesterfield, MO 63006-9953, USA. CONTACTS Editorial Tel +44 (0) 20 7611 1202 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Picture desk Tel +44 (0) 20 7611 1268 Who’s who newscientist.com/people Contact us newscientist.com/contact Enquiries Tel +44 (0) 20 7611 1202 Display Advertising Tel +44 (0) 20 7611 1291 [email protected] Recruitment Advertising UK Tel +44 (0) 20 8652 4444 [email protected] Permission for reuse [email protected] Media enquiries Tel +44 (0) 20 7611 1202
Always the sun We need to take the long view on humanity’s energy supplies ?>@Hfk.563)qebPtbafpe _rfiafkdtfkac^ojplkqeb_^pfp p`fbkqfpqPs^kqb>ooebkfrpob^ifpba lcqefpofph+>pfabcoljqeberdb qe^q_v_rokfkd`l^itbtbob rk`boq^fkqfbp^_lrqqeb`ifj^qf` ^aafkd`^o_lkaflufabqlqeb^fo) bccb`qplcbuqo^`qfkdmltbocolj ^kaqe^qqefptlriat^ojqeb qebtfka)lromobpbkq^kakb^o* B^oqe+?rqebjbkqflkbaqeb qbojrp^dbfpc^oqllqfkvqlj^hb fpprblkivfkm^ppfkd)cloefp ^kvafccbobk`b+Cloqebjljbkq) `^i`ri^qflkpprddbpqbafqtlria ^kvkbd^qfsb`lkpbnrbk`bplkqeb klq_b`ljb^mol_ibjclo `ifj^qb^obj^ppfsbivlrqtbfdeba qelrp^kaplcvb^op+Lqebop _vqebbccb`qplcmrjmfkdlrqbsbo qelrdeqqe^qqebl`b^kptlria jlob@L/+Qe^qmlpbp_vc^oqeb dob^qbobksfolkjbkq^iqeob^q8 pl^hrm^kvbuqo^@L/)plqebob t^pklqefkdjr`eqltloov^_lrq+ tb^kfkdlropbisbplccclppficrbip Qe^qqefpi^qqbo^odrjbkqe^p pelriaobj^fkqebmoflofqv+ mbopfpqbaqlqefpa^vfkpljb Bsbkpl)kltfpqebqfjbqlpq^oq nr^oqbopefdeifdeqplropmb`fbpÑ molmbkpfqvqlrkabobpqfj^qbqeb “It would be unfortunate to p`^iblclrofjm^`qlkqebmi^kbq+ replace fossil fuels only to find that their successors BsbkqebB^oqeÑps^pql`b^kp are also damaging” `^kklqpr`hrm@L/^pnrf`hiv^p tb`^kmolar`bfq)^katbklt hkltqebpqloba@L/fp^`fafcvfkd qefkhfkd^_lrqqebilkd*qboj qebl`b^kp)^mol_ibjfkfqpbic+ bccb`qplcqeb^iqbok^qfsbbkbodv Klt^e^kacrilcobpb^o`ebop plro`bptb^obqrokfkdql+Qelpb ^obt^okfkdqe^qbkbodvplro`bp tele^sb^iob^avpq^oqbaqlillh tbkloj^iivqefkhlc^pfkkl`rlrp ^qqebpbfpprbpobmloqtb^ov) `lria^ccb`qqebmi^kbqÑp`ifj^qb fkafccbobkqlobsbkelpqfib qll+Fctbpq^oqqlbuqo^`qfjjbkpb ob^`qflkpqlqebfotloh+ ^jlrkqplcmltbocoljqeb Qe^qÑprkabopq^ka^_ib)_rq tfka)clofkpq^k`b)fqtfiie^sb afp^mmlfkqfkd+Qebpbbccb`qpj^v ^kfjm^`qlkeltt^ojqe^ka _bfk`lkpbnrbkqf^i)fktef`e`^pb t^qbojlsb^olrkaqebmi^kbq) ^iiqe^qtfiie^sb_bbkt^pqbafp ^kaqerplkqbjmbo^qrobp^ka pljbobpb^o`eqfjbqe^qj^vtbii o^fkc^ii%pbbm^db01&+ vfbiafkqbobpqfkdfkpfdeqp^kvt^v+ Grpqql_b`ib^o)kllkbfp Loqebvj^vqroklrqql_b prddbpqfkdtbpelriapqlm pe^omivkbd^qfsb)fktef`e`^pb
qebjlobklqf`btbe^sb)qeb _bqqbo+Fqtlria_brkcloqrk^qb) qlmrqfqjfiaiv)qlpmbka`lrkqibpp qofiiflkpobmi^`fkdclppfi*crbi bkbodvfkco^pqor`qroblkivql afp`lsboqe^qfqppr``bpplofp^ipl jloba^j^dfkdqe^kfqkbba_b+ Qebpb`ifj^qf`bccb`qpj^vbsbk _b_bkbcf`f^i+Qebcfopq)qbkq^qfsb jlabipprddbpqqe^qbuqo^`qfkd i^odb^jlrkqplcbkbodvcolj efde*^iqfqrabgbqpqob^jptlria `lliqebmi^kbq)`lrkqbo^`qfkdqeb bccb`qplcofpfkddobbkelrpbd^pbp+ Fqjfdeqbsbk_bmlppf_ibql_rfia ^kbkbodvfkco^pqor`qrobqe^q dfsbprp^abdobblc`lkqolilsbo qebtb^qebo7qrokfkdlcctfka qro_fkbpebob)`^mqrofkdjlob lcqebprkÑpbkbodvqebob+ Tbj^v^iplkbbaqlobqefkh lroilkd*qbojobpb^o`emoflofqfbp+ Qebprkfpriqfj^qbivqeblkiv plro`blcbkbodvqe^qalbpkÑqbka rm^iqbofkdqebmi^kbqÑpbkbodv _^i^k`b+Plqeb_bpq_bqjfdeq_b qlfksbpqeb^sfivfkfjmolsfkd pli^oqb`eklildv^ka^kabkbodv pqlo^dbÌo^qeboqe^kfkbccloqpql e^okbpp)p^v)kr`ib^ocrpflk+ Cloqebjljbkq)^iilcqefp obj^fkpprmmlpfqflk+?rqlro pmb`fbpe^p^qbkabk`vqljvlmf^+ Tbe^sbklqefkdqlilpb)^ka bsbovqefkdqld^fk)_vq^hfkdqeb ilkdsfbtclo^`e^kdb+N
Marketing Tel +44 (0) 20 7611 1286 Back Issues & Merchandise Tel +44 (0) 1733 385170 Syndication Tribune Media Services International Tel +44 (0) 20 7588 7588 UK Newsagents Tel +44 (0) 20 3148 3333 Newstrade distributed by Marketforce UK Ltd, The Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark St, London SE1 OSU Tel: + 44 (0) 20 8148 3333 © 2011 Reed Business Information Ltd, England New Scientist is published weekly by Reed Business Information Ltd. ISSN 0262 4079. Registered at the Post Office as a newspaper and printed in England by Polestar (Colchester)
Resistance is everywhere QEBafp`lsbovlc_^`qbof^qe^q^ob j^ppfsbivobpfpq^kqql^kqf_flqf`p tlkÑqj^hbqebcolkqm^dbqebpb a^vpÌ_rqtebkfqe^mmbkpfk >kq^o`qf`^)fqfpqfjbqlpfqrm^ka q^hbklqf`b%m^db./&+ Qebprmbo_rdp^obkÑqfkcb`qfkd mbkdrfkpÌvbqÌlobsbkqolr_ifkd qebobpb^o`eboptel`^oofbaqebj qebobfkqebfofkqbpqfkbp^ka rktfqqfkdivabmlpfqbaqebjfk qebpb^sf^qebfopbt^dblrqc^iip+
?rqqebafp`lsbovfpcroqebo bsfabk`bqe^q^kqf_flqf`obpfpq^k`b fpklilkdbogrpq^jbaf`^i mol_ibjÌfqfp^kbksfolkjbkq^i lkbqll+>kaqe^qj^hbpcfdeqfkd fqjr`ee^oabo+ Tbrpbaqlqefkhqebdbkbp qe^qbk^_ib_^`qbof^qlobpfpq ^kqf_flqf`ptlriaafblrqrkibpp qelpb^kqf_flqf`ptbob^olrkaql dfsbqebfo`^oofbop^kbslirqflk^ov ^as^kq^db+Qe^qpelriaj^hbqeb
dbkbpobi^qfsbivb^pvqlpq^jm lrq+>ptbobmloqbai^pqGriv) eltbsbo)qebvmbopfpqbsbktebk qebvÑobkltebobkb^o^kqf_flqf`p+ Obpfpq^k`bdbkbp^kvtebob _b`ljbobpfpq^k`bdbkbp bsbovtebobÌ^kaalkÑqdl^t^v+ ?bclobqeb.62-pj^kv lqebotfpbeb^iqevmblmibafbalc _^`qbof^ifkcb`qflkp+Qebvtfiial pl^d^fkfctbalkÑqt^hbrmqlqeb buqbkqlcqebmol_ibjklt+N 28 January 2012 | NewScientist | 5
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LOCATIONS UK Lacon House, 84 Theobald’s Road, London WC1X 8NS Tel +44 (0) 20 7611 1200 Fax +44 (0) 20 7611 1250 AUSTRALIA Tower 2, 475 Victoria Avenue, Chatswood, NSW 2067 Tel +61 2 9422 2666 Fax +61 2 9422 2633 USA 225 Wyman Street, Waltham, MA 02451 Tel +1 781 734 8770 Fax +1 720 356 9217 201 Mission Street, 26th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105 Tel +1 415 908 3348 Fax +1 415 704 3125 TO SUBSCRIBE UK and International Tel +44 (0) 8456 731 731 [email protected] The price of a New Scientist annual subscription is UK £143, Europe €228, USA $154, Canada C$182, Rest of World $293. Postmaster: Send address changes to New Scientist, PO Box 3806, Chesterfield, MO 63006-9953, USA. CONTACTS Editorial Tel +44 (0) 20 7611 1202 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Picture desk Tel +44 (0) 20 7611 1268 Who’s who newscientist.com/people Contact us newscientist.com/contact Enquiries Tel +44 (0) 20 7611 1202 Display Advertising Tel +44 (0) 20 7611 1291 [email protected] Recruitment Advertising UK Tel +44 (0) 20 8652 4444 [email protected] Permission for reuse [email protected] Media enquiries Tel +44 (0) 20 7611 1202
Always the sun We need to take the long view on humanity’s energy supplies ?>@Hfk.563)qebPtbafpe _rfiafkdtfkac^ojplkqeb_^pfp p`fbkqfpqPs^kqb>ooebkfrpob^ifpba lcqefpofph+>pfabcoljqeberdb qe^q_v_rokfkd`l^itbtbob rk`boq^fkqfbp^_lrqqeb`ifj^qf` ^aafkd`^o_lkaflufabqlqeb^fo) bccb`qplcbuqo^`qfkdmltbocolj ^kaqe^qqefptlriat^ojqeb qebtfka)lromobpbkq^kakb^o* B^oqe+?rqebjbkqflkbaqeb qbojrp^dbfpc^oqllqfkvqlj^hb fpprblkivfkm^ppfkd)cloefp ^kvafccbobk`b+Cloqebjljbkq) `^i`ri^qflkpprddbpqbafqtlria ^kvkbd^qfsb`lkpbnrbk`bplkqeb klq_b`ljb^mol_ibjclo `ifj^qb^obj^ppfsbivlrqtbfdeba qelrp^kaplcvb^op+Lqebop _vqebbccb`qplcmrjmfkdlrqbsbo qelrdeqqe^qqebl`b^kptlria jlob@L/+Qe^qmlpbp_vc^oqeb dob^qbobksfolkjbkq^iqeob^q8 pl^hrm^kvbuqo^@L/)plqebob t^pklqefkdjr`eqltloov^_lrq+ tb^kfkdlropbisbplccclppficrbip Qe^qqefpi^qqbo^odrjbkqe^p pelriaobj^fkqebmoflofqv+ mbopfpqbaqlqefpa^vfkpljb Bsbkpl)kltfpqebqfjbqlpq^oq nr^oqbopefdeifdeqplropmb`fbpÑ molmbkpfqvqlrkabobpqfj^qbqeb “It would be unfortunate to p`^iblclrofjm^`qlkqebmi^kbq+ replace fossil fuels only to find that their successors BsbkqebB^oqeÑps^pql`b^kp are also damaging” `^kklqpr`hrm@L/^pnrf`hiv^p tb`^kmolar`bfq)^katbklt hkltqebpqloba@L/fp^`fafcvfkd qefkhfkd^_lrqqebilkd*qboj qebl`b^kp)^mol_ibjfkfqpbic+ bccb`qplcqeb^iqbok^qfsbbkbodv Klt^e^kacrilcobpb^o`ebop plro`bptb^obqrokfkdql+Qelpb ^obt^okfkdqe^qbkbodvplro`bp tele^sb^iob^avpq^oqbaqlillh tbkloj^iivqefkhlc^pfkkl`rlrp ^qqebpbfpprbpobmloqtb^ov) `lria^ccb`qqebmi^kbqÑp`ifj^qb fkafccbobkqlobsbkelpqfib qll+Fctbpq^oqqlbuqo^`qfjjbkpb ob^`qflkpqlqebfotloh+ ^jlrkqplcmltbocoljqeb Qe^qÑprkabopq^ka^_ib)_rq tfka)clofkpq^k`b)fqtfiie^sb afp^mmlfkqfkd+Qebpbbccb`qpj^v ^kfjm^`qlkeltt^ojqe^ka _bfk`lkpbnrbkqf^i)fktef`e`^pb t^qbojlsb^olrkaqebmi^kbq) ^iiqe^qtfiie^sb_bbkt^pqbafp ^kaqerplkqbjmbo^qrobp^ka pljbobpb^o`eqfjbqe^qj^vtbii o^fkc^ii%pbbm^db01&+ vfbiafkqbobpqfkdfkpfdeqp^kvt^v+ Grpqql_b`ib^o)kllkbfp Loqebvj^vqroklrqql_b prddbpqfkdtbpelriapqlm pe^omivkbd^qfsb)fktef`e`^pb
qebjlobklqf`btbe^sb)qeb _bqqbo+Fqtlria_brkcloqrk^qb) qlmrqfqjfiaiv)qlpmbka`lrkqibpp qofiiflkpobmi^`fkdclppfi*crbi bkbodvfkco^pqor`qroblkivql afp`lsboqe^qfqppr``bpplofp^ipl jloba^j^dfkdqe^kfqkbba_b+ Qebpb`ifj^qf`bccb`qpj^vbsbk _b_bkbcf`f^i+Qebcfopq)qbkq^qfsb jlabipprddbpqqe^qbuqo^`qfkd i^odb^jlrkqplcbkbodvcolj efde*^iqfqrabgbqpqob^jptlria `lliqebmi^kbq)`lrkqbo^`qfkdqeb bccb`qplcofpfkddobbkelrpbd^pbp+ Fqjfdeqbsbk_bmlppf_ibql_rfia ^kbkbodvfkco^pqor`qrobqe^q dfsbprp^abdobblc`lkqolilsbo qebtb^qebo7qrokfkdlcctfka qro_fkbpebob)`^mqrofkdjlob lcqebprkÑpbkbodvqebob+ Tbj^v^iplkbbaqlobqefkh lroilkd*qbojobpb^o`emoflofqfbp+ Qebprkfpriqfj^qbivqeblkiv plro`blcbkbodvqe^qalbpkÑqbka rm^iqbofkdqebmi^kbqÑpbkbodv _^i^k`b+Plqeb_bpq_bqjfdeq_b qlfksbpqeb^sfivfkfjmolsfkd pli^oqb`eklildv^ka^kabkbodv pqlo^dbÌo^qeboqe^kfkbccloqpql e^okbpp)p^v)kr`ib^ocrpflk+ Cloqebjljbkq)^iilcqefp obj^fkpprmmlpfqflk+?rqlro pmb`fbpe^p^qbkabk`vqljvlmf^+ Tbe^sbklqefkdqlilpb)^ka bsbovqefkdqld^fk)_vq^hfkdqeb ilkdsfbtclo^`e^kdb+N
Marketing Tel +44 (0) 20 7611 1286 Back Issues & Merchandise Tel +44 (0) 1733 385170 Syndication Tribune Media Services International Tel +44 (0) 20 7588 7588 UK Newsagents Tel +44 (0) 20 3148 3333 Newstrade distributed by Marketforce UK Ltd, The Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark St, London SE1 OSU Tel: + 44 (0) 20 8148 3333 © 2011 Reed Business Information Ltd, England New Scientist is published weekly by Reed Business Information Ltd. ISSN 0262 4079. Registered at the Post Office as a newspaper and printed in England by Polestar (Colchester)
Resistance is everywhere QEBafp`lsbovlc_^`qbof^qe^q^ob j^ppfsbivobpfpq^kqql^kqf_flqf`p tlkÑqj^hbqebcolkqm^dbqebpb a^vpÌ_rqtebkfqe^mmbkpfk >kq^o`qf`^)fqfpqfjbqlpfqrm^ka q^hbklqf`b%m^db./&+ Qebprmbo_rdp^obkÑqfkcb`qfkd mbkdrfkpÌvbqÌlobsbkqolr_ifkd qebobpb^o`eboptel`^oofbaqebj qebobfkqebfofkqbpqfkbp^ka rktfqqfkdivabmlpfqbaqebjfk qebpb^sf^qebfopbt^dblrqc^iip+
?rqqebafp`lsbovfpcroqebo bsfabk`bqe^q^kqf_flqf`obpfpq^k`b fpklilkdbogrpq^jbaf`^i mol_ibjÌfqfp^kbksfolkjbkq^i lkbqll+>kaqe^qj^hbpcfdeqfkd fqjr`ee^oabo+ Tbrpbaqlqefkhqebdbkbp qe^qbk^_ib_^`qbof^qlobpfpq ^kqf_flqf`ptlriaafblrqrkibpp qelpb^kqf_flqf`ptbob^olrkaql dfsbqebfo`^oofbop^kbslirqflk^ov ^as^kq^db+Qe^qpelriaj^hbqeb
dbkbpobi^qfsbivb^pvqlpq^jm lrq+>ptbobmloqbai^pqGriv) eltbsbo)qebvmbopfpqbsbktebk qebvÑobkltebobkb^o^kqf_flqf`p+ Obpfpq^k`bdbkbp^kvtebob _b`ljbobpfpq^k`bdbkbp bsbovtebobÌ^kaalkÑqdl^t^v+ ?bclobqeb.62-pj^kv lqebotfpbeb^iqevmblmibafbalc _^`qbof^ifkcb`qflkp+Qebvtfiial pl^d^fkfctbalkÑqt^hbrmqlqeb buqbkqlcqebmol_ibjklt+N 28 January 2012 | NewScientist | 5
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