The Thermodynamics of Collapse | Tim Garrett
What snowflakes and physics can teach us about the economy, civilisation and crisis.
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According to the laws of physics, the economy can only sustain itself by growing. So how bound are we by the laws of thermodynamics?
Professor Tim Garrett, atmosphere scientist at the University of Utah, argues we’re completely bound by those laws. He has modelled how the behaviour of snowflakes and clouds can be used to predict energy consumption and GDP, bridging the gap between economic theory and the natural world.
Tim’s research is nothing short of fascinating; this is a mind-bending hour you won’t regret. Listen to the episode here or catch it on Apple or Spotify.
Read more of Tim’s work here.
Water vapor changing phase to a snowflake is something like humans changing phase from alive to dead. Both become very cold, fall to the ground and eventually melt away. When the sun comes up the molecules swirl about to play another day.
The use of the term "capitalism" muddies and confuses the issue. Capitalism includes property rights, contract law, and an opportunity for personal reward. The issue that is central to Garrett's thesis is the monetary system. We should focus on whether it is possible to switch from a debt backed fractional reserve system (which every country uses and requires growth) to an energy backed full reserve system (which might be sustainable).