Comment

Comment by Jose Feneque, DVM on July 20, 2008 at 7:12pm

David, thanks for your comments. Yes I am very excited about the new finding of Phoenix and I really enjoy looking at the pictures of the ice caps provide by the the Mar's Explorer. Definently Mars may be source of water in case of emergency. The question is how much water is left on Mars. So the research and exploration of the red planet needs to continue. I agreed with you that we may need to be concerned about a future fresh water shortage instead of putting too much emphasis in the current oil crisis.

More of the 97% of the water in our planet is saltwater and the other 3% is fresh water. Only a fraction of that 3% is considered potable or drinkable water. With the world population expected to double in size during the next 50 years plus the effects of global warming and pollution we are on the way to an event bigger than the current “oil crisis”. The reduction on drinkable water sources can produce major economical and societal changes. The rich countries of the future are going to be those who can manage and better preserve their sources of fresh water. That the reason some financial advisors are recommending to long term investors to gets stocks or shares on the water market today while they are cheap, because in the next 20 to 30 years water is going to be considered the “new oil”. After all you can’t drink oil or used it to irrigate crops. A lack of sources of drinkable water can shake the foundations of humanity.

Many of you would say what the heck this have to do with nanotechnology? Well, maybe a little or maybe a lot. A water crisis can motivate our governments and private industries to go beyond low orbit and into outer space to look for new sources of water. Nanotechnology can provide us with not only with better astronaut’s suits but also with faster spacecraft engines and better tools to work in space. Long term protection from cosmic radiation may be another of the benefits of nanotechnology research.

Nanotechnology can also provide us with new filtration systems able to remove toxic chemicals and bacteria from polluted water sources here on Earth. Plus the nanotechnology research can help us to improve and promote more desalinization programs which can help to ameliorate the demand for fresh water.

Comment by David Lyndel on July 19, 2008 at 9:43am

Hi Dr. Feneque,
I'll humbly call you Jose. My father is an engineer that could have retired years ago but likes his work too much. A few weeks ag he and I were having a conversation via our weekly phone call. Both of us agreed wholeheartedly that vets have to be intelligent and good at analysis. He and I actually agreed. One for the books. We are both dog enthusiast and get attached to our pets all too quickly. Thank you for kindly considering me a new friend.
Are you excited about the Mars Phoenix and its evidence of water on the so-called Red Planet. One thing is for certain new colonists there would need to learn to live off the land. That would include using materials on the planet for construction. I was glad when Dr. Stephen Hawking used his fame to call for colonizing planets. I remember an ex-US president saying before the UN how the nations of the world would set-aside their petty differences if threatened by an extraterrestrial source. The late communicator could have been referring to other lifeforms but just as likely an asteroid. If there is other intellligent life in the Universe it would be amazing. However if we are the only truly self-aware beings in this neck of the galaxy then we have a responsibility to preserve the life known as humanity.
I completely agree we should be focused on finding water and minerals to life. I was shocked but not necessarily surprised to find out how little of the Earth's water is potable. Now wide regions are experiencing extended droughts. Some whine over mandatory water restrictions over watering their lawns but the crisis is deeper than that in Australia, Africa and the southeast US. Doctor you have hit the nail on the head! We worry about the oil running out but it would be even more dire for the water to run out.