Guest: Dr. John Brandenburg; Topics: Dr. Brandenburg's new sci-fi book, The War Of The Singularity: The Human Race is Cancelled… and updates for his theory regarding nuclear bombs having destroyed Mars about 180 million years ago due to traces of Xe 129 in the Martian atmosphere.
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We welcomed Dr. Brandenburg back to the program to discuss his new science fiction book plus some updates to his nuclear bombs on Mars theory that remains controversial, including controversial with The Space Show audience. For the first part of the program, John talked about his book, "The War Of The Singularity: The Human Race Is Cancelled." John posted the book's Amazon listing on the blog but visit www.amazon.com/War-Singularity-human-race-canceled-ebook/dp/B0B3ZCHNX1/ref=sr_1_4?crid=NX0OTCCFT431&keywords=the+war+of+the+singularity&qid=1655230558&sprefix=the+war+of+the+singularity%2Caps%2C132&sr=8-4 for more information. Remember, if you do buy the book through Amazon, do so using the OGLF/Space Show link on our home page so that Amazon will donate a portion of the sales price to The Space Show. The basic theme of John's book is that an advanced AI supercomputer goes rogue, becomes sentient, and engages in a galaxy wide global war fought on and around Mars for control of all including humans. In talking about the book, John seemed to blend together his genuine concerns for AI becoming way too powerful in reality, especially with wealthy people, corporations and societies lusting for and seeking wealth and greed without consequences. The scenario in the book, which I believe was reflective of John's concerns for AI and supercomputers in reality, paralleled John's concerns for real AI here on Earth. Several times during the discussion I urged John to return to talking about the book, not his assessment of the dangers of AI gone rogue. That said, I'm sure listeners, like me, noted John's vision of the dark future (for real) he talked about during the interview.
John was quite thorough in providing us with the rogue AI and robotic background in the book, on Mars and in the universe but also for what could be plausibly our future if we don't reign in AI developers. Listeners did participate in the discussion, commenting on computers not being able to become sentient as in the case of Marshall's call wherein he said they all use binary algebra so explain to him how a computer using binary algebra, even a super computer, could be human like and go after the humans. I don't think Marshall ever got a good answer to his binary algebra question. Later in the show another listener asked John if his computer in the book which was waging war on the human race had passed the Turing Test. John paused, then explained the Turing test. Don't miss how John answered Barbara's concerns.
In addition to talking about the theme of the book, John talked about his character development as most of the characters in the story are the characters from his earlier books. As of when I am posting this summary which is on Friday, July 1, check out the multiple blog comments on AI and John's story. While John was certainly not the first to write a book about advanced AI computers declaring war on humans and the world, the books is a very good read and John has made it to seem plausible, just as he in talking about it weaving back in and out of reality to science fiction.
In the second part of the program, John brought us up to date with his nuclear bomb destruction theory for Mars from around 180 million years ago. John's theory rests on seeing Xe129 spikes in the Martian atmosphere of today. Given John's physics work at the Livermore Lab and his somewhat close association with nuclear weapons, John said that the Xe 129 spike only can happen as a result of a supernova or a hydrogen bomb blast and the R process. He cited the atmospheric bomb tests on Earth with early H bombs but said much of the information still remains classified. John went on to discuss the R process which implies rapid decay leaving the Xe 129 spike as compared to S process for slow process suggesting such decay was over a very large and long timeline. In the absence of a supernova on Mars, the Xe 129 spike resulting from R process, John developed his theory. While he has explained it several times on the show, he did so again during this program. Toward the end of the two hour plus program, John was asked about alternative theories of which he mentioned two. One focused on the decay of iodine to Xe 129 and the other on the decay of Plutonium 244. John went into great detail as to why he said the facts do not support either as a source of Xe 129 in the atmosphere causing this spike. Another alternate theory put to rest was the possibility of a anti-matter bomb of destruction device.
John spent considerable time talking about classification and security for H bombs and all nuclear weapons topics. He also talked about the challenges scientists have had in getting their theories accepted yet today they are mainstream. He cited a few examples including the huge crater in the Yucatan that killed off the dinosaurs. The other example he cited was Meteor Crater found in Northern Arizona. Listen to what he said about both and what it took to get in the literature and to be accepted the theories of both that are explanations for both today.
In checking the blog before I wrote this summary, I see that Mr. Fincannon has posted commentary suggesting there are alternate explanations including an asteroid impact theory. Several years when Dr. B was on the program talking up this topic, James suggested the same but in a lengthy blog exchange, perhaps the longest running ever blog correspondence chain for any particular Space Show program, other scientists debunked the ideas of decay and asteroids as causing the Xe 129 spike yet James presented his thoughts again after Dr. Brandenburg discussed his ideas on this program. If you want to check out the blog and earlier comments from the Dr. Brandenburg shows, you can check out the programs with Dr. Brandenburg in 2018 and scroll through the blog as many of the controversial issues showing up in the blog for the current show were discussed by multiple people, including several scientists. Rather than rehashing the old arguments, for those interested just scroll through the blogs on the 2018 programs: Sept. 25, 2018, June 22, 2018, and Feb. 1, 2018. Look for blog comments authored by Dr. Brandenburg, Dr. John Jurist, John Hunt and James Fincannon. As all are still active with The Space Show, let me know if you would like to contact any of these people regarding the Brandenburg theory.
Several times during the discussion, John talked about what the government probably knew about all of this but was keeping it classified. At one point he said people from DOD and related agencies have encouraged him to publish his work. Our guest said he was now working on publishing his theory. If he does that and it is published in a quality reviewed journal, it just might break open the discussion so new information which probably is known is made public but this remains to be seen. As we were nearing the end of the program, I asked John what the next step was for him and his theory. He said publication but that the government had to come forward with the data which he felt certainly existed. Without that information and without be able to collect Martian first hand research since such research is not be done and missions are not being directed to areas ripe for investigation, Dr. Brandenburg and his theory remain just that, a theory waiting on investigation or additional scientific information.
Please post your comments/questions for Dr. Brandenburg on our blog for this show. You can reach Dr. Brandenburg through or through the address given on his published online papers.
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