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US Military Could Collapse Within 20 Years Due to Climate Change

posted by Fnord666 on Sunday October 27 2019, @11:07PM   Printer-friendly
from the or-not dept.

coolgopher writes:

A story notes that

[...] according to a new U.S. Army report, Americans could face a horrifically grim future from climate change involving blackouts, disease, thirst, starvation and war. The study found that the US military itself might also collapse. This could all happen over the next two decades, the report notes.

[...] The report paints a frightening portrait of a country falling apart over the next 20 years due to the impacts of climate change on "natural systems such as oceans, lakes, rivers, ground water, reefs, and forests.

Current infrastructure in the US, the report says, is woefully underprepared: "Most of the critical infrastructures identified by the Department of Homeland Security are not built to withstand these altered conditions."

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  • (Score: 3, Funny) by The Mighty Buzzard on Monday October 28 2019, @02:09AM (4 children)

    by The Mighty Buzzard (18) Subscriber Badge <themightybuzzard@proton.me> on Monday October 28 2019, @02:09AM (#912612) Homepage Journal

    See? Always a silver lining.

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  • (Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Monday October 28 2019, @12:12PM (2 children)

    by JoeMerchant (3937) on Monday October 28 2019, @12:12PM (#912748)

    I see it as a new foreign policy: a certain amount of atmospheric dust (surface detonations) are required to maintain the "new world order" of temperature balance, so the most egregious policy violators will be chosen as the location for the dust liberation.

    Using high yield H-bombs for minimal half-life of the fallout, of course.

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    • (Score: 2) by Osamabobama on Monday October 28 2019, @07:56PM (1 child)

      by Osamabobama (5842) on Monday October 28 2019, @07:56PM (#912931)

      Using high yield H-bombs for minimal half-life of the fallout, of course.

      That seems to be the conventional wisdom, but I'm not convinced.

      • First, H-bombs use uranium as the trigger for the fusion, so you get the fission products from the first stage.
      • Second, fallout is comprised of parts of the earth that are blasted into the atmosphere by the bomb (as distinct from the bomb ingredients). Those particles become radioactive by capturing loose neutrons (and maybe protons?) and transitioning into a heavier element. Most isotopes are unstable, so these particles become mostly radioactive. The blast would need fewer neutron emissions overall to result in less radioactive fallout.

      Maybe hydrogen bombs can produce less radioactivity per pound of fallout because of their higher effectiveness with respect to their use of fissile material. I guess if we are trying to make fallout, this would be a useful measure.

      Actually, I will concede that H-bombs produce fallout with a lower average half-life. I suspect, though, that the total radioactivity may be greater, at least on a per-bomb basis.

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      • (Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Monday October 28 2019, @08:27PM

        by JoeMerchant (3937) on Monday October 28 2019, @08:27PM (#912946)

        the total radioactivity may be greater, at least on a per-bomb basis.

        But, far fewer bombs required to kick up X tons of dust into the Mesosphere / cool the surface. Then, there's the added benefit of shutting down rogue CO2 emitters in the vicinity of the dust liberation.

        Can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs. /s

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  • (Score: 2) by BsAtHome on Monday October 28 2019, @01:24PM

    by BsAtHome (889) on Monday October 28 2019, @01:24PM (#912775)

    See? Always a silver lining.

    See? Always a radioactive silver lining.

    FTFY