Steve Martin

Economic growth and the search for abundance

Creating a world of plenty demands more radical ideas By Tim Smedley June 26, 2025 Illustration by Prospect. Source: S.E.A. Photo / Alamy A moment halfway through Ezra Klein’s and Derek Thompson’s recent book Abundance reveals something of their approach to building a net zero world. In 2023 a gasoline lorry exploded, causing Philadelphia’s I-95 bridge to collapse;Continue reading “Economic growth and the search for abundance”

CARBON CAPTURE -DAC

KATIE BRIGHAM • MAY 30, 2025 Technology to suck carbon dioxide out of the air — a.k.a. direct air capture — has always had boosters who say it’s necessary to reach net zero, and detractors who view it as an expensive fig leaf for the fossil fuel industry. But when the typical venture capitalistContinue reading “CARBON CAPTURE -DAC”

The Valley that Changed the World, and Could Do So Again.

Transforming the Derwent Valley for a Regenerative Future May 10, 2024 Image by Derwent Valley MillsAuthors: Jonny Norton, Stephen Martin, Chris Ives — School of Geography University of NottinghamNestled within the picturesque landscapes of Derbyshire, England, lies the Derwent Valley — a valley once pulsating with the relentless energy of the Industrial Revolution. From theContinue reading “The Valley that Changed the World, and Could Do So Again.”

MURDER IN THE CLIMATE ASSEMBLY by Denise Baden

Murder in the Climate Assembly is a contemporary literary fiction novel that weaves moral philosophy, climate policies and elements of the popular whodunnit genre into an engaging story.This original take on the traditional campus novel addresses broad themes of what justice means in an age of climate change. The story grapples with one of theContinue reading “MURDER IN THE CLIMATE ASSEMBLY by Denise Baden”

A Quantum Year of Turmoil

We are in the International Year of Quantum (IYQ). Can the conceptual turmoil in physics one hundred years ago tell us anything about doing science amidst the political turmoil we experience today?Karen O’Brien Feb 2025 The International Year of Quantum (IYQ)How exciting! The United Nations has designated 2025 as the International Year of Quantum ScienceContinue reading “A Quantum Year of Turmoil”

Paradigm Shakes

We seem to be stuck in a dangerous and destructive paradigm. Our current approach to climate change is painfully inadequate. Will shifting paradigms be easier if we start with a few small shakes?Karen O’Brien Jan 20 ExtremesThese are not easy times. It’s hard to watch the news and read the latest climate projections. And it’sContinue reading “Paradigm Shakes”

Biesta: The Beautiful Risk of Education

We seem to be in the process of creating an education system that strives to reduce all risks whilst making ever-greater demands. The new system tells our students they must work harder, be more productive, and aim ever higher, but is not prepared to allow them simple freedoms or opportunities to make choices and toContinue reading “Biesta: The Beautiful Risk of Education”

Back to fossil fuels-with AI?

An edited opinion piece by John ElkingtonAccording to the International Energy Agency (IEA), AI-related energy demand is set to almost double between 2022 and 2026. Bad enough, but Generation is more pessimistic still. “There are … forecasts that are much more drastic,” it concludes. “It is easy to imagine a world in which ever moreContinue reading “Back to fossil fuels-with AI?”

Interdisciplinarity makes us greater than the sum of our parts

The real world is complicated. Let’s give our students the tools to take it on with interdisciplinary education Graduates are increasingly entering a work landscape that demands agility, flexibility and a diverse skill set, and as a result, the value of interdisciplinary education is on the rise. Universities are seeking out ways to expand students’Continue reading “Interdisciplinarity makes us greater than the sum of our parts”

WHAT IS TRUE NET ZERO?

From the Guardian 19/11/2024 Under the “true” net zero definition, the natural world’s vast carbon-absorbing capabilities must only be put to work to remove historical emissions so that the planet can slowly cool over time, the net zero researchers say – not to cancel out future fossil fuel pollution.“It is a common assumption that removingContinue reading “WHAT IS TRUE NET ZERO?”