Artificial Leaf Makes Fuel From Sunlight - And a Question

[Joe Fulton]

So the wonks have gone and done it again.  This latest iteration of 21st century alchemy involves creating a leaf-like object from simple materials.  One side produces oxygen, the other side produces hydrogen.

See the video here.

What next? Desalinization technology because we're going to start growing forests of these things...goodness knows fresh water isn't an issue anywhere <sic>.  Always effects to every cause, intended and otherwise.  It seems that we have three major problems and they all manifest themselves as involving resources; energy, water and food.  Combine those with a pervading sense of greed and you have unsustainable situations.  One thing that a spiritually-based perspective offers is that of sustainability.  We know that everything is interrelated and interdependent so if we do one thing here, something else will happen as an effect.  

I wonder (out loud) about what other unintended consequences we face by some of the things we do. What is a healthy attitude towards technology?  Right-conception, right-thoughts, right-actions.

[Capt. Anand Kumar]

One would like to think all three that you mention, Joe. Without right thought and right conception right action can only be an accident.

 

Amongst the several new technologies currently being pursued, Hydrogen based solutions to our energy problems appears most promising since it can be produced at a large scale cheaply and quickly. The future economy and politics itself is poised for a major shift if Hydrogen based energy solutions become a reality. How it is going to impact our society is a subject quite suitable to speculate around here with so many experts from diverse fields amongst us.

 

Will spirituality undergo a shift too under such massive impact of technology on society? 

[Joe Fulton]

My question about spirituality is how far back can we push the veil and will there be anything there or will it be like the Wizard of Oz and what we find is no more than what is right in front of us...all of the metaphysical speculation was just that...speculation.  I can't say with any degree of assurance what we will find...but I can't say what we won't find...either proposition is equally untenable.

[Mark Worthington]

We currently find ourselves inspired with new scientific and technological discoveries every day. The scientific community has been peeling back the veil for some time now. It is all so wonderous and it is hoped that soon science will discover the ultimate key.

However, without an advance of the higher consciousness, the Wizard of Oz will remain, surrounded in smoke and mirrors.

[Joe Fulton]

What can we imagine about how this "advance" would look like?  While not a perfect analogue, the Carl Sagan novel, "Contact" seems to bear a close resemblance with some leaps of imagination.

It's as if right now we have an invisible Wizard of Oz inside an invisible curtain surrounded by smoke and mirrors.

It seems as if imagination is the key.  Click your heels 3 times and say "I want to go home".