TO EXPERIENCE CATASTROPHE, AND WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT
WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS FOR ALL OF US WHO SHARE
MEANS FOR ALL OF US WHO SHARE THIS PLANET.
THIS PLANET. FOR THAT I’M JOINED BY THE HOST
FOR THAT I’M JOINED BY THE HOST OF SCIENCE RULES, BILL NYE THE
OF SCIENCE RULES, BILL NYE THE SCIENCE GUY.
SCIENCE GUY. [ APPLAUSE ]
[ APPLAUSE ] BILL, OBVIOUSLY -- OBVIOUSLY
BILL, OBVIOUSLY -- OBVIOUSLY HURRICANES HAVE BEEN DECIMATING
HURRICANES HAVE BEEN DECIMATING THE CARIBBEAN IN THE GULF OF
THE CARIBBEAN IN THE GULF OF MEXICO FOR YEARS.
MEXICO FOR YEARS. WE HAVE HISTORICAL RECORDS OF
WE HAVE HISTORICAL RECORDS OF THESE THINGS HAPPENING.
THESE THINGS HAPPENING. WHAT DO WE -- WHAT IS THE
WHAT DO WE -- WHAT IS THE SCIENCE SAY, AND WHAT DO WE KNOW
SCIENCE SAY, AND WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE WAYS IN WHICH CLIMATE
ABOUT THE WAYS IN WHICH CLIMATE AFFECTS THESE SORT OF EXTREME
AFFECTS THESE SORT OF EXTREME EVENTS?
EVENTS? >> WELL, PEOPLE ARE CONTINUALLY
>> WELL, PEOPLE ARE CONTINUALLY TRYING TO CONNECT EACH EXTREME
TRYING TO CONNECT EACH EXTREME EVENT WITH CLIMATE CHANGE
EVENT WITH CLIMATE CHANGE COMPUTER MODELS.
COMPUTER MODELS. BUT IT’S QUITE DIFFICULT TO DO.
BUT IT’S QUITE DIFFICULT TO DO. BUT THIS WE CAN SAY.
BUT THIS WE CAN SAY. IT’S HOW MUCH BIGGER IS A GIVEN
IT’S HOW MUCH BIGGER IS A GIVEN HURRICANE NOW THAN IT WOULD HAVE
HURRICANE NOW THAN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BEFORE HUMAN CAUSED CLIMATE
BEEN BEFORE HUMAN CAUSED CLIMATE CHANGE.
CHANGE. SO THERE IS ALL THIS TROUBLE NOW
SO THERE IS ALL THIS TROUBLE NOW WITH NOT ONLY THE SIZE OF
WITH NOT ONLY THE SIZE OF HURRICANES, BUT HOW THE WINDS
HURRICANES, BUT HOW THE WINDS ALOFT AFFECT HOW FAST THEY MOVE.
ALOFT AFFECT HOW FAST THEY MOVE. AND AS HAS BEEN POINTED OUT BY
AND AS HAS BEEN POINTED OUT BY MANY PEOPLE OVER THE LAST FEW
MANY PEOPLE OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS, IT’S NOT THE CATEGORY
DAYS, IT’S NOT THE CATEGORY NUMBER THAT MATTERS.
NUMBER THAT MATTERS. IT’S JUST HOW MUCH RAIN DOES IT
IT’S JUST HOW MUCH RAIN DOES IT DUMP FOR HOW LONG.
DUMP FOR HOW LONG. >> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. >> ALONG WITH THE WIND.
>> ALONG WITH THE WIND. IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS, THERE WAS
IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS, THERE WAS NOT VERY MUCH INFRASTRUCTURE IN
NOT VERY MUCH INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE BAHAMAS OR OTHER CARIBBEAN
THE BAHAMAS OR OTHER CARIBBEAN ISLANDS BECAUSE FEWER PEOPLE
ISLANDS BECAUSE FEWER PEOPLE LIVED THERE A CENTURY AGO.
LIVED THERE A CENTURY AGO. BUT NOW ELECTRIFICATION AND THE
BUT NOW ELECTRIFICATION AND THE WAYS OF THE DEVELOPED WORLD ARE
WAYS OF THE DEVELOPED WORLD ARE MAKING THEIR WAY INTO THESE
MAKING THEIR WAY INTO THESE AREAS.
AREAS. SO WHEN EVERYONE IS TORN UP,
SO WHEN EVERYONE IS TORN UP, IT’S A MESS.
IT’S A MESS. SO THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE, OF
SO THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE, OF COURSE, IT’S VERY TROUBLESOME.
COURSE, IT’S VERY TROUBLESOME. BUT THAT’S JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF
BUT THAT’S JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF OTHER PLACES AROUND THE WORLD
OTHER PLACES AROUND THE WORLD THAT ARE GOING TO BE AFFECTED
THAT ARE GOING TO BE AFFECTED EVEN MORE STRONGLY, WHERE THEY
EVEN MORE STRONGLY, WHERE THEY HAVE LESS ABILITY TO TRAVEL AND
HAVE LESS ABILITY TO TRAVEL AND CHANGE THEIR WAY OF LIFE, AND SO
CHANGE THEIR WAY OF LIFE, AND SO ON.
ON. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM.
THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM. THE POOR PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE
THE POOR PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE AFFECTED THE MOST.
AFFECTED THE MOST. BUT LOOK, WE’RE ALL IN THIS
BUT LOOK, WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
TOGETHER. YOU KNOW, NEW YORK, BOSTON,
YOU KNOW, NEW YORK, BOSTON, PARTS OF NOVA SCOTIA ARE BEING
PARTS OF NOVA SCOTIA ARE BEING AFFECTED BY DORIAN.
AFFECTED BY DORIAN. THIS IS A BIG OLD STORM,
THIS IS A BIG OLD STORM, EVERYBODY.
EVERYBODY. >> AND THERE IS ALSO THE WAYS IN
>> AND THERE IS ALSO THE WAYS IN WHICH THOSE AREAS THAT ARE
WHICH THOSE AREAS THAT ARE AFFECTED, LIKE AS YOU’RE SAYING
AFFECTED, LIKE AS YOU’RE SAYING THIS SORT OF DEVELOPMENT THAT
THIS SORT OF DEVELOPMENT THAT THEY HAVE CREATES THE CONDITIONS
THEY HAVE CREATES THE CONDITIONS IN WHICH PEOPLE CAN ADAPT OR
IN WHICH PEOPLE CAN ADAPT OR HAVE TO MOVE.
HAVE TO MOVE. WE THINK ABOUT A PLACE LIKE
WE THINK ABOUT A PLACE LIKE BANGLADESH, WHICH IS EXTREMELY
BANGLADESH, WHICH IS EXTREMELY EXPOSED TO SEA LEVEL RISE OR
EXPOSED TO SEA LEVEL RISE OR PLACES THROUGHOUT THE DEVELOPED
PLACES THROUGHOUT THE DEVELOPED WORLD WHERE FARMING WILL BE
WORLD WHERE FARMING WILL BE IMPACTED.
IMPACTED. IT DOES SEEM THAT WE WILL START
IT DOES SEEM THAT WE WILL START TO SEE AND HAVE STARTED TO SEE
TO SEE AND HAVE STARTED TO SEE BIG MIGRATION MOVEMENTS OF FOLKS
BIG MIGRATION MOVEMENTS OF FOLKS THAT CANNOT LIVE WHERE THEY
THAT CANNOT LIVE WHERE THEY CURRENTLY ARE.
CURRENTLY ARE. >> THERE YOU GO.
>> THERE YOU GO. AND WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO GO
AND WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO GO AND WHO’S GOING TO PAY FOR IT?
AND WHO’S GOING TO PAY FOR IT? AND SO ON AND SO ON.
AND SO ON AND SO ON. WE’VE BEEN SAYING FOR DECADES,
WE’VE BEEN SAYING FOR DECADES, THE SOONER WE GET TO WORK ON
THE SOONER WE GET TO WORK ON THIS, THE BETTER.
THIS, THE BETTER. SO ME, CLOYMT CHANGEIMATE CLANGH
SO ME, CLOYMT CHANGEIMATE CLANGH WITH ALL THE TROUBLES, FILLS ME
WITH ALL THE TROUBLES, FILLS ME WITH OPTIMISM BECAUSE WE’RE
WITH OPTIMISM BECAUSE WE’RE GOING TO SOLVE PROBLEMS THAT
GOING TO SOLVE PROBLEMS THAT WE’VE NEVER SOLVED BEFORE.
WE’VE NEVER SOLVED BEFORE. THE ICON, THE THING THAT HITS ME
THE ICON, THE THING THAT HITS ME SO STRONGLY IS THIS BUSINESS OF
SO STRONGLY IS THIS BUSINESS OF PLASTIC STRAWS VERSUS PAPER
PLASTIC STRAWS VERSUS PAPER STRAWS, OKAY?
STRAWS, OKAY? A PLASTIC STRAW IS JUST BETTER.
A PLASTIC STRAW IS JUST BETTER. IT JUST WORKS BETTER.
IT JUST WORKS BETTER. THAN A PAPER STRAW.
THAN A PAPER STRAW. >> I AGREE WITH THAT.
>> I AGREE WITH THAT. >> YOU CAN CHEW ON IT.
>> YOU CAN CHEW ON IT. IT’S GREAT.
IT’S GREAT. IT HOLDS ITS SHAPE.
IT HOLDS ITS SHAPE. A PAPER STRAW, NO, IT’S NOTHING.
A PAPER STRAW, NO, IT’S NOTHING. SO WHAT SHOULD WE DO?
SO WHAT SHOULD WE DO? BAN PLASTIC STRAWS?
BAN PLASTIC STRAWS? THEY’RE HORRIBLE.
THEY’RE HORRIBLE. HOW CAN YOU EVEN THINK OF USING
HOW CAN YOU EVEN THINK OF USING A PLASTIC STRAW.
A PLASTIC STRAW. YOU’RE A BAD NOT PROGRESSIVE
YOU’RE A BAD NOT PROGRESSIVE PERSON.
PERSON. NO.
NO. WE WILL USE THE TECHNOLOGY AND
WE WILL USE THE TECHNOLOGY AND THE PAPER UTENSIL INDUSTRY TO
THE PAPER UTENSIL INDUSTRY TO CREATE EVEN BETTER STRAWS.
CREATE EVEN BETTER STRAWS. >> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. >> AND THERE WILL BE A TIME
>> AND THERE WILL BE A TIME COMING VERY SOON WHERE PEOPLE
COMING VERY SOON WHERE PEOPLE WILL FORGET ABOUT THE WHOLE
WILL FORGET ABOUT THE WHOLE PROBLEM BECAUSE WE WILL HAVE
PROBLEM BECAUSE WE WILL HAVE SOLVED IT.
SOLVED IT. AND ARE YOU SAYING WE SHOULD
AND ARE YOU SAYING WE SHOULD APPLY GOVERNMENT MONEY TO MAKE
APPLY GOVERNMENT MONEY TO MAKE BETTER STRAWS?
BETTER STRAWS? YEAH.
YEAH. THAT’S KIND OF WHAT I’M SAYING.
THAT’S KIND OF WHAT I’M SAYING. >> YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE
>> YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE ALREADY GONE THROUGH -- WE’VE
ALREADY GONE THROUGH -- WE’VE ALREADY GONE THROUGH THIS WITH
ALREADY GONE THROUGH THIS WITH LIGHT BULBS, BECAUSE I REMEMBER
LIGHT BULBS, BECAUSE I REMEMBER WHEN YOU HAD REGULATION BACK IN
WHEN YOU HAD REGULATION BACK IN 2006 YOU HAVE TO USE COMPACT
2006 YOU HAVE TO USE COMPACT FLUORESCENT LIGHT BULB, AND
FLUORESCENT LIGHT BULB, AND THESE LIGHT BULBS WERE TERRIBLE.
THESE LIGHT BULBS WERE TERRIBLE. YEAH, LOOK AT THAT.
YEAH, LOOK AT THAT. AND NOW YOU GO AND YOU GET LIGHT
AND NOW YOU GO AND YOU GET LIGHT BULBS IN HOME DEPOT, AND THEY’RE
BULBS IN HOME DEPOT, AND THEY’RE INCREDIBLE.
INCREDIBLE. AND THAT WAS JUST FORCED BY
AND THAT WAS JUST FORCED BY REGULATION, THAT INNOVATION.
REGULATION, THAT INNOVATION. >> WELL, YES.
>> WELL, YES. WELL, EVERYBODY BENEFITTED.
WELL, EVERYBODY BENEFITTED. AND I REMIND YOU, PERHAPS YOU
AND I REMIND YOU, PERHAPS YOU KNOW THIS ABOUT THE COW MAN AND
KNOW THIS ABOUT THE COW MAN AND THE FARMER.
THE FARMER. THE COW MAN AND THE FARMER
THE COW MAN AND THE FARMER SHOULD BE FRIENDS.
SHOULD BE FRIENDS. IT’S IN THE SONG.
IT’S IN THE SONG. >> I JUST SAW "OKLAHOMA" SO
>> I JUST SAW "OKLAHOMA" SO THAT’S TOP OF MIND.
THAT’S TOP OF MIND. >> SO PEOPLE WHO RAISE FOOD
>> SO PEOPLE WHO RAISE FOOD DEPEND ON THE INTERNET TO PLANT
DEPEND ON THE INTERNET TO PLANT ALL THEIR SEEDS, TO GET
ALL THEIR SEEDS, TO GET EXTRAORDINARY MODERN SEEDS THAT
EXTRAORDINARY MODERN SEEDS THAT ARE BENEFICIALLY GENETICALLY
ARE BENEFICIALLY GENETICALLY MODIFIED, TO FEED FOUR OR FIVE
MODIFIED, TO FEED FOUR OR FIVE OR TEN TIMES AS MANY PEOPLE AS
OR TEN TIMES AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE COULD TWO CENTURIES AGO
WE COULD TWO CENTURIES AGO BECAUSE OF IMPROVEMENTS IN
BECAUSE OF IMPROVEMENTS IN AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY.
AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY. BUT THAT TECHNOLOGY WAS
BUT THAT TECHNOLOGY WAS DEVELOPED WITH GOVERNMENT MONEY.
DEVELOPED WITH GOVERNMENT MONEY. >> YEAH.
>> YEAH. >> THAT’S NOT A BAD THING.
>> THAT’S NOT A BAD THING. THAT’S A THING.
THAT’S A THING. AND EVERYBODY WHO DEVELOPS THAT
AND EVERYBODY WHO DEVELOPS THAT TECHNOLOGY IN SILICON VALLEY,
TECHNOLOGY IN SILICON VALLEY, I’VE MET THEM.
I’VE MET THEM. THEY ALL EAT FOOD.
THEY ALL EAT FOOD. AND THAT FOOD IS PRODUCED BY
AND THAT FOOD IS PRODUCED BY FARMERS, GENERALLY IN THE
FARMERS, GENERALLY IN THE BREADBASKET OF THE WORLD, WHICH
BREADBASKET OF THE WORLD, WHICH IS GENERALLY HERE IN THE UNITED
IS GENERALLY HERE IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA.
STATES AND CANADA. SO THE FARMER AND THE COW MAN
SO THE FARMER AND THE COW MAN SHOULD BE FRIENDS, AND WE SHOULD
SHOULD BE FRIENDS, AND WE SHOULD ALL BE GETTING ALONG AND WORKING
ALL BE GETTING ALONG AND WORKING TOGETHER.
TOGETHER. NOW I THINK ALL THE TIME.
NOW I THINK ALL THE TIME. ABOUT HOW WE JUST CELEBRATED THE
ABOUT HOW WE JUST CELEBRATED THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF LANDING ON
50th ANNIVERSARY OF LANDING ON THE MOON.
THE MOON. IN $2010, THAT’S ABOUT $150
IN $2010, THAT’S ABOUT $150 BILLION
BILLION BILLION.
BILLION. SOMEWHAT MORE IN MODERN DOLLARS.
SOMEWHAT MORE IN MODERN DOLLARS. OKAY.
OKAY. YOU CAN GET A LOT DONE WITH $150
YOU CAN GET A LOT DONE WITH $150 BILLION, OKAY.
BILLION, OKAY. SO FOR EXAMPLE, I’M NOT SAYING
SO FOR EXAMPLE, I’M NOT SAYING THIS IS THE ANSWER, I’M SAYING
THIS IS THE ANSWER, I’M SAYING FOR EXAMPLE.
FOR EXAMPLE. THERE IS A COMPANY TRYING TO DO
THERE IS A COMPANY TRYING TO DO VERY, VERY HOT FUSION.
VERY, VERY HOT FUSION. THIS IS NOT COLD FUSION.
THIS IS NOT COLD FUSION. THIS IS VERY HOT FUSION.
THIS IS VERY HOT FUSION. SINCE I WAS A KID, SINCE I WAS
SINCE I WAS A KID, SINCE I WAS IN ENGINEERING SCHOOL, PEOPLE
IN ENGINEERING SCHOOL, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO DO FUSION BY
HAVE BEEN TRYING TO DO FUSION BY SHOOTING A BEAM OF HIDE DERONS.
SHOOTING A BEAM OF HIDE DERONS. IT HAS NOT WORKED.
IT HAS NOT WORKED. THESE PEOPLE HAVE BORON AND
THESE PEOPLE HAVE BORON AND HYDROGEN.
HYDROGEN. >> YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE IT.
>> YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE IT. >> TO PRODUCE THREE ALPHA
>> TO PRODUCE THREE ALPHA PARTICLES, THE SAME ALPHA
PARTICLES, THE SAME ALPHA PARTICLES WE GET INSIDE THE SUN.
PARTICLES WE GET INSIDE THE SUN. AND THEY BELIEVE THEY CAN DO IT
AND THEY BELIEVE THEY CAN DO IT FOR $30 BILLION.
FOR $30 BILLION. AND THEY HAVE THIS SCHEME TO
AND THEY HAVE THIS SCHEME TO RAISE THE $30 BILLION WITH
RAISE THE $30 BILLION WITH DERIVATIVE TECHNOLOGY THAT
DERIVATIVE TECHNOLOGY THAT THEY’VE GOT BY THIS NEW BATTERY
THEY’VE GOT BY THIS NEW BATTERY STORAGE THING AND THIS NEW
STORAGE THING AND THIS NEW CAPACITOR AND THIS NEW STUFF.
CAPACITOR AND THIS NEW STUFF. NO.
NO. IF WE SPENT FIVE TIMES THAT KIND
IF WE SPENT FIVE TIMES THAT KIND OF MONEY, WE COULD SEE WHETHER
OF MONEY, WE COULD SEE WHETHER OR NOT THIS TECHNOLOGY WORKED.
OR NOT THIS TECHNOLOGY WORKED. AND IF IT DID, IT WOULD CHANGE
AND IF IT DID, IT WOULD CHANGE THE WORLD.
THE WORLD. >> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. >> SO THIS WHOLE IDEA OF JUST
>> SO THIS WHOLE IDEA OF JUST RINGING YOUR HANDS WHAT WE CAN’T
RINGING YOUR HANDS WHAT WE CAN’T DO, WE CAN’T EAT MEAT, WE CAN’T
DO, WE CAN’T EAT MEAT, WE CAN’T DO THIS, NO.
DO THIS, NO. LET’S GO, PEOPLE.
LET’S GO, PEOPLE. THIS IS THE UNITED STATES.
THIS IS THE UNITED STATES. LET’S INNOVATE.
LET’S INNOVATE. [ APPLAUSE ]
[ APPLAUSE ] >> SAY YES.
>> SAY YES. >> AIR TRANSPORTATION HAS TO BE
>> AIR TRANSPORTATION HAS TO BE SOLVED.
SOLVED. GROUND TRANSPORTATION HAS TO BE
GROUND TRANSPORTATION HAS TO BE ADDRESSED.
ADDRESSED. WE HAVE TO ELECTRIFY ALL GROUND
WE HAVE TO ELECTRIFY ALL GROUND TRANSPORTATION.
TRANSPORTATION. WE HAVE TO PROBABLY ELECTRIFY
WE HAVE TO PROBABLY ELECTRIFY AIR.
AIR. LET’S GO!
LET’S GO! >> YES.
>> YES. AND I WILL SAY ONE MORE THING ON
AND I WILL SAY ONE MORE THING ON THAT NOTE, WHICH IS WE ALSO HAVE
THAT NOTE, WHICH IS WE ALSO HAVE TO THEN TRANSFER THAT TECHNOLOGY
TO THEN TRANSFER THAT TECHNOLOGY AND MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE TO PLACES
AND MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE TO PLACES LIKE THE BAHAMAS AND THE
LIKE THE BAHAMAS AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC AND
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC AND BANGLADESH.
BANGLADESH. >> WHEN YOU GO, WHEN YOU GO TO
>> WHEN YOU GO, WHEN YOU GO TO THE DEVELOPING WORLD.
THE DEVELOPING WORLD. >> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. >> EVERYBODY HAS A MOBILE PHONE.
>> EVERYBODY HAS A MOBILE PHONE. >> YEP.
>> YEP. >> BECAUSE THAT TECHNOLOGY
>> BECAUSE THAT TECHNOLOGY BECAME CHEAP ENOUGH.
BECAME CHEAP ENOUGH. BUT BEAR IN MIND IT WAS STARTED.
BUT BEAR IN MIND IT WAS STARTED. >> HERE.
>> HERE. >> WITH LARGELY INVESTMENT IN
>> WITH LARGELY INVESTMENT IN THE MILITARY.
THE MILITARY. THAT’S WHAT LED TO THE INTERNET.
THAT’S WHAT LED TO THE INTERNET. THAT’S WHAT LED TO ALL THIS
THAT’S WHAT LED TO ALL THIS EFFICIENCY OF DATA TRANSMISSION.
EFFICIENCY OF DATA TRANSMISSION. IT’S NOT A BAD THING.
IT’S NOT A BAD THING. IT’S A THING.
IT’S A THING. LET’S WORK TOGETHER, YOU
