"Do you ever lie awake at night and worry that we'll run out of all the stuff that we need to make things?"
Well, I didn't used to, Alex, but your video kind of freaked me out.
If we had a little more neodymium, we could get more wind turbines running and turning...but we can't find enough neodymium.
If we could find more rhenium, we could get jet engines manufactured more easily...but we can't find enough rhenium.
If we just managed a bit more terbium and europium, we'd have better, more efficient fluorescent lights (admittedly, a likely dated fact in today's LED-lit world)...but we can't find enough terbium or europium.
If we just had a little more of a whole lot of elements, we'd be better able to make more smart phones...but we can't get enough of all sorts elements.
I feel like we've been on the 'rare earth elements are rare' train before, but it looks like we're going going to be on the hunt for a fair while.
...and the final story about the change from the bronze age is chilling - though the ending is a painfully abrupt.
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