The Future of Energy: Why Renewables Outperform Nuclear Power
Posted inCan We Talk About This Please? General In the News Politics & Opinion

The Future of Energy: Why Renewables Outperform Nuclear Power

As the world transitions toward sustainable energy, the debate between nuclear power and renewables intensifies. While nuclear has long been seen as a stable energy source, the financial reality tells a different story. Massive costs, long construction times, and rigid infrastructure make nuclear power a poor investment compared to the rapidly advancing wind and solar industries. Hinkley Point C, the UK’s newest nuclear project, will cost up to €300 billion over 60 years when including operational, fuel, and waste disposal costs. In contrast, a fully renewable alternative using 10 GW of offshore wind, 10 GW of solar, and 100 GWh of battery storage could provide the same energy for just €60 billion—a fraction of nuclear’s cost. Nuclear power is also not a growing trend. The number of newly built reactors barely keeps up with decommissioned ones. Even France, one of the most nuclear-reliant nations, now considers it a financial disaster due to rising maintenance costs and outdated infrastructure. Renewables are flexible, scalable, and decentralized—offering a future-proof energy solution. With advancements in storage, electric vehicles, and smart grids, the transition to renewables is not only feasible but the most cost-effective choice for the future.
Posted inCan We Talk About This Please? In the News Politics & Opinion Science Matters

What if I’m wrong?

It seems that, no matter what you write on the internet, what opinion you have, you always end up in a discussion. Which is not necessarily a bad thing - I like good discussions and they can help you to better understand a certain topic or the others' point of view. Many topics though are not tangible - are based on assumptions and a certain likelihood. Two recently discussed big topics and good examples are Climate Change and COVID-19 actions. No one can tell for sure how Climate Change will happen, how quickly it will happen, how it will affect…
Posted inCan We Talk About This Please? Politics & Opinion

Berlin, December 20, 2016

It is now 4:00 p.m. on December 20, 2016—almost exactly 20 hours after the horrific act in which the perpetrator (or perpetrators) drove a truck into the Christmas market at Breitscheidplatz in Berlin, killing at least 12 people and injuring 48 others, many of them seriously. Whatever the exact motives behind this act may have been, the deed itself is abhorrent and despicable. My thoughts are with the victims and their families. And yet, if this does turn out to be a terrorist attack—as it sadly appears—then we must all take a step back and resist the all-too-human reaction of anger…
Posted inCan We Talk About This Please? Science Matters The Homeopathy Myth

Why I Don’t Believe in Homeopathy

Inspired by a recent discussion, I once again dove into the world of homeopathy. I’ve read a fair bit about it over the years, but every time I revisit the subject, I come across new articles, studies, and examples that make me think. I’ll be honest: I wasn’t sure how to start this piece. So, I’ll simply throw you into the ocean (or maybe just the puddle) of my thoughts and doubts. “But it helped me…” One of the most common things I hear when talking about homeopathy is the statement: “But it helped me!” People often present this as an irrefutable…
Posted inCan We Talk About This Please? Politics & Opinion

Sigmar Gabriel and the Middle Finger

Last Friday, Sigmar Gabriel gave a group of far-right hecklers the middle finger. They had been disrupting his campaign rally with shouts and placards. My first reaction was: “That’s not the right way to respond. A politician of his standing shouldn’t stoop to that level.” But then I asked myself—is that really true? Is a gesture like that ever justified? After thinking about it, I came to a different conclusion: yes, it can be justified—even for the chairman of the SPD. Emotion Versus Argument Of course, flipping the middle finger is no way to engage in political debate. Critics deserve to be answered with…
Posted inCan We Talk About This Please? In the News The Homeopathy Myth

Dear parents, you’re being lied to

As a geek without kids (so far), I sometimes stumble across the phenomenon in my circle of friends that some parents refuse to vaccinate their children. Honestly, I’ve never understood why—and to be fair, I never really looked deeply into it. To my surprise, it seems to be far more common than I thought. I grew up in a family and environment where getting vaccinated was simply normal. Not long ago, diseases like mumps, measles, or rubella would flare up into epidemics and claim hundreds, if not thousands, of lives. Only through vaccination were we able to bring them under…
Posted inCan We Talk About This Please? In the News Online & Digital Politics & Opinion

The BND Espionage Affair: When “Friends” Spy on Each Other

As if Edward Snowden’s revelations about large-scale NSA surveillance in Europe and Germany, and the tapping of Angela Merkel’s mobile phone, had not already been enough, the U.S. spying scandal has entered its next chapter—despite all denials from the NSA and CIA. To summarize what happened: last week a BND employee was arrested. He is accused of having sold 218 confidential BND documents over the past two years to the CIA for a total of about €25,000. The man worked in the department “Areas of Operation/Foreign Relations” and was apparently responsible for archiving documents. In that role, of course, he had access…
Posted inCan We Talk About This Please? In the News Science Matters

Misleading Graphics and the Fukushima Panic

Isn’t this graphic alarming? It’s been circulating dozens of times across social media, often used in YouTube videos as “proof” for bold claims and conspiracy theories. At first glance, it does look terrifying—the blue trail stretches across the Pacific toward Japan, supposedly originating from Fukushima. What makes the graphic appear credible is the NOAA logo (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), suggesting that it comes from an authoritative U.S. government source. But let’s pause for a moment. The first red flag is the scale on the right-hand side, which is labeled in centimeters (cm). What do centimeters have to do with radiation? The…
Posted inCan We Talk About This Please? In the News Online & Digital Politics & Opinion

Dear Telekom, You’re Just a Cable

I’ve borrowed this headline from Timo Hetzel (Bits und So / Undsoversum / Blog) because I find it so fitting. Many so-called providers still haven’t understood that at the end of the day, they are nothing more than a cable. A copper cable, a fiber optic cable, or a wireless connection — but still just a cable. They connect us with one another, through telephone lines or the internet. But for years, these providers have been trying to be more than just the pipe through which the bits flow. They want to upsell us with “value-added services.” Sometimes with a bit of…