Podcast summary
Neutron detector could reveal hidden nukes in orbit
Verification and conservation both hinge on signals
Whether policing nuclear weapons in space or protecting Amazon knowledge, the core problem is indirect identification: you infer prohibited or vulnerable reality from detectable proxies, while acknowledging limits like shielding, timescales, and compounded loss.
Neutron “interrogation” is physics-feasible, not operational
Detecting a uranium-bearing satellite via proton-driven neutron bursts is scientifically feasible using today’s components, but engineering practicality is unresolved—especially measurement time, required geometry, and variability from shielding and warhead design.
Language loss likely removes plant knowledge faster
Across climate scenarios, plants used by people face higher local extinction, but the interaction with endangered languages is modeled to erase ~26% of indigenous plant knowledge—possibly as fast as plant loss and potentially even faster overall.
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