[Intro]
I’m not sure
If things are going just right
As things are changing
At the speed of light
[Verse 1]
Did you hear about…
Oh forget about it
It’s too late
Changing at a rapid rate
[Bridge]
Hard to keep up with the news
No time to get the blues
[Chorus]
I’m not sure
If things are going just right
As things are changing
At the speed of light
[Verse 2]
As Dorthy once said,
My! People come and go so quickly here!
The wicked witch is dead
Yet, there’s plenty to fear
[Bridge]
Hard to keep up with the news
No time to get the blues
[Chorus]
I’m not sure
If things are going just right
As things are changing
At the speed of light
[Bridge]
Hard to keep up with the news
No time to get the blues
Forget what you knew
And, learn what to do
[Outro]
I’m not sure
If things are going just right
As things are changing
At the speed of light
A SCIENCE NOTE
The phrase “all the world is a flux” is often attributed to the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus, although his exact wording may have varied as it has been interpreted and translated over time. Heraclitus is known for his doctrine that change is central to the universe. One of his most famous sayings is “πάντα ῥεῖ” (panta rhei), which translates to “everything flows” or “all things are in flux.”
The meaning behind this statement is that everything in the world is constantly changing and nothing remains the same. This idea reflects Heraclitus’ belief in the impermanence and ever-changing nature of the universe. He famously illustrated this concept by saying that one cannot step into the same river twice, as the water is always flowing and thus the river is always changing.
Heraclitus’ philosophy emphasized the unity of opposites and the constant state of becoming, rather than static being. This notion contrasts with the ideas of other pre-Socratic philosophers who believed in more permanent and unchanging substances at the foundation of reality.
The speed of light in a vacuum is approximately 186,282 (~186k) miles per second (mi/s). This is a fundamental constant in physics, often denoted by the symbol cc, and it is crucial in many areas of science and technology, including the theory of relativity and various applications in communication and measurement technologies.
Climate Change: Rate of Acceleration
How fast are humans causing the climate to change? When we started our experiments in the 1990’s, we thought the time scale was in millenniums. If climate change were happening on a linear basis, we would have been correct; however, by the late 90’s we were convinced climate change was non-linear.
At what rate is climate change accelerating?
A: Rapidly
As described above, we do not know the rate of acceleration other than to say it is more rapid than previously thought. In the summer of 2023, the extreme temperatures left most climate scientists shocked. The average earth surface temperature recorded record highs for months reaching over 3 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The Paris Agreement calls for keeping temperatures below 1.5 degrees. Scientists concur that a rise of 2 degrees will trigger feedback loops and tipping points. Triggering these tipping points results in the CO2 stored in nature to be released at an exponential growth rate. How extreme the acceleration will be depends on tipping points toppling other tipping points in what is known as The Domino Effect. Toppled tipping points will continue to shrink the doubling time and exponentially increase the rate of global warming. Though we do not know how much carbon is stored in nature, it would be reasonable to assume that the temperature could be pushed from 3 degrees to 6 degrees above pre-industrial levels. Humans can not thrive above a rise of 1.5 degrees. Humans can not survive if the temperature rises 6 degrees.
From the album “The Rise of the Fall” by The End