Quote[/b] (D muscipula @ July 12 2005,11:26)]I meant something like a peer-reviewed scientific publication. I reviewed the links there, and there's not much in it that has been tainted with the marks of science.
The problem with Hubbart curves (which is what the theory that cartoon illustrates is based on) is that they don't really consider technological advancement; which is also why they have to keep revising the projections. The projections are constantly being pushed back, which is why so many of my father's generation no longer pay heed to the alarmists: according to their original predictions, we should already be out of petroleum. So while there's no doubt that things are being depleted that are probably not being renewed, the deadline is constantly being revised.
The great thing about technological advance is it enables greater efficiency and greater utilization of resources. Thus, the GNP of the US has continued to increase, in spite of the fact that the energy consumption didn't increase at a similar rate. There was an article in (i believe) the Wall Street Journal recently pointing out the importance of R&D by citing the fact that the US economy has been able to continue forward in spite of increasing energy costs because of improvements in efficiency.