1939...

[MrScorpio]

I was checking out a movie short on TMC about scientific work in America just now.

One part of it was about the use of solar power research… Yep, Solar Power, back in 1939.

Imagine the progress that could have been achieved by now had we made energy production by Solar Power a viable reality.

In a lot of ways, we've never gotten our priorities straight.

[valerief]

1. Imagine if the oil industry hadn't killed electric cars at the start of the 20th century. nt

[sarcasmo]

3. Yep, killing the EV1 was a big time mistake.

[upi402]

12. Proof that we're stuck on stupid

and drunk on Kool Aid ever since.

[mmonk]

2. So true.

We should have had electric cars on a major scale by now as well and more wind turbines.

[Drale]

4. Henry Ford build his first cars to run on ethanol

and Rudolf Diesel built his engine to run on peanut oil. Both idea's where killed by Standard Oil.

[Hydra]

6. I know, and everyone forgets about that

I like pointing that out to them- that cars didn't run on fossil oil to start with. Plant oil- hemp and cottonseed for Ford if I remember correctly.

I really hate the pseudo-scientific that tell us we can't do things, because the way we're doing it is the ONLY way to do it. That's not science, that's parroting.

[Confusious]

8. While most of what you say is true or could be true

Diesel fuel and gasoline have more power to weight then peanut oil or ethanol. While it might be nice that there was a conspiracy, the fact that you could get more power out of the engine by using diesel or gasoline makes a much simpler explanation, which is usually they right one.

[Drale]

11. Its not a conspiracy like so many other things in the world

Standard Oil funded the movement toward prohibition because he knew if it was illegal to create alcohol The automobile manufactures who still used ethanol would be forced to switch to gasoline, therefor making millions for Standard Oil.

[NoPasaran]

13. It wasn't illegal to create alcohol during Prohibition

Eighteenth Amendment,Section 1. After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited.

The production of alcohol for industrial purposes continued.

[Confusious]

14. Prohibition had been a movement since the 1860's

Prohibition didn't go into effect until 1920.

Standard oil was broken up in 1911.

Your theory needs some work.

[Confusious]

5. The photoelectric cell wasn't invented until the 1970's

Anything created to harness solar power in the 1940's would have been hopelessly inefficient.

[RKP5637]

7. Experimentation began in 1839. Here's some history on the development ...

http://inventors.about.com/od/sstartinventions/a/solar_cell.htm

[Confusious]

9. Still, One percent is hopelessly inefficient.

And while I forgot that it was created in the 1950's, during that time, money was still being spent on them hand over fist to run the satellites they were putting into orbit. It wasn't a lack of money, it was a lack of technology.

[RKP5637]

10. Yep!!! Definitely!!! n/t