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Arithmetic, Population and Energy - a talk by Al Bartlett

lXlSalemlXl · lecture · Watch on YouTube

Environment, agriculture & food systemsEarth & energy (other)Pure mathematics

What it is

Physicist Al Bartlett's well-known lecture on the arithmetic of exponential growth, applied to population, energy consumption and resource depletion. He argues that steady percentage growth cannot be sustained on a finite planet and that most public discussion ignores this.

Why Hacker News recommends it

HN commenters cite it as a mind-changing introduction to exponential growth, though some note his peak oil predictions did not pan out.

  • 6 people recommended it
  • 5 different months
  • 3 strong recommendations
  • first 2016, last 2023

What HN commenters said

  1. “the "Arithmetic, Population and Energy" lecture by Al Bartlett is absolutely amazing. You will never see the news in the same way again after watching it”

    Lecture on exponential growth that changes how you see the news.

    jiggawatts, 2020-03 · Strong recommendation · in “Ask HN: What are some deep, mentality changing books?”

  2. “it's the most valuable use of an hour of your lifetime to watch Prof. Bartlett's talk on exponential growth”

    Explains dangers of exponential growth.

    simonblack, 2020-03 · Strong recommendation · in “Why don’t I know anyone who knows anyone with Covid-19? [pdf]”

  3. “Taught me the logical impossibility of the stock market to go up by x% per year, forever.”

    Life-changing idea about compounding and unsustainable growth.

    maerF0x0, 2020-05 · Strong recommendation · in “Ask HN: Name one idea that changed your life”

  4. “also relevant”

    qpwoeirutyzzzz, 2016-07 · Recommendation · in “How climate change is rapidly taking the planet apart”

  5. “we can not prevent the end of exponential population growth. We can only choose how it ends.”

    Population growth must end; only the way it ends is a choice.

    knorker, 2022-06 · Recommendation · in “Restarting my career after motherhood”

  6. “most people don't understand exponential growth.”

    Shows experts and the public ignoring exponential and physical constraints.

    RetroTechie, 2023-07 · Recommendation · in “Exponential Economist Meets Finite Physicist”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: exponential growth, population, energy, peak oil, sustainability

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