The New Einstein

Every hundred years or so, someone comes along that truly changes the world.   Someone that makes a contribution so significant that mankind is changed forever.   It seems like we're due.   We have our revolutionary figures in the arts, politics, and to some extent business.   We can list them all, but the hero I am envisioning hasn't showed up yet.

On a planet of many billions, we know they are out there somewhere.   Studying physics in one of our premier universities.   Maybe it is a young inventor/business person in the mold of Thomas Edison that is still developing ideas and thinking of how to make it a reality.   Maybe this person hasn't been born and won't be with us for another generation or so.   But this world needs them more than most of us think.

My last couple posts were articles about the uncertainty of the world economic climate and green energy.   The article about green energy made the point that the cost of producing environmentally friendly energy is too expensive to be mainstream.   Another post highlighted that 42% of our trade deficit is related to energy and transportation.    I think most of us believe the dangers from carbon based energy is a danger to our planet and the long term viability of mankind.

So who is this new Einstein?   They maybe is from India, China, or any other country on our planet.   It could be a woman.  Their passion will be to develop the science that leads to the engineering, business, political, and environmental breakthroughs that harness the energy in our universe in a way that safely helps man continue his inhabitation of the planet earth.   This science will be used run factories, homes, vehicles, and cities.  The countries that harness and develop this technology will be the new global leaders.   They who own the energy, will own the world.

No doubt some of our world's brightest minds have been working on this endeavor.  It is evident in the statistics about how much of the energy in the US is derived from renewable sources.   But the percentage needs to increase from 7% to 100%.    The next Einstein, or Edison, or Ford will be the one that makes this possible.   And it needs to happen soon.

Rick