top of page

There are technologies that decouple human wellbeing from its ecological impacts. There are politics that enable these technologies.

My Post-4_edited.jpg

Check out the latest episodes from
Decouple...

Why China is electrifying everything
Is Oil the Lifeblood of Civilization?

Is Oil the Lifeblood of Civilization?

Mark Nelson, managing director of Radiant Energy Group, joins Decouple host Chris Keefer for another installation of the Masterclass series: this time on the slippery subject of oil. We zoom from ancient plankton to modern empires to see how a mysterious black liquid birthed from prehistoric seas now powers our civilization, touching on the complex chemistry, geology and history of oil. Episode name on podcast apps: "Oil: A Masterclass" Listen to Decouple on: • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PNr3ml8nEQotWWavE9kQz • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/decouple/id1516526694?uo=4 • Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1516526694/decouple • Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/ehbfrn44 • RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/23775178/podcast/rss Website: https://www.decouple.media Chapters: 00:00 Introduction – Welcoming Mark Nelson back for an oil masterclass. 02:10 Oil’s Strange Beginnings – The plankton story and how ancient seas became trapped carbon. 04:34 Transition to Oil Ships – How navies pivoted from coal to oil for faster vessels. 09:33 Drilling Basics – The tricone drill bit, pumping mud, and early gusher myths. 17:45 From Reservoir to Refinery – Separating light and heavy fractions, sulfur concerns. 25:28 Fracking Boom – Horizontal wells, fracturing shale, and the U.S. oil boom. 40:15 OPEC vs. Shale – Geopolitics, swing producers, and controlling prices. 49:53 Boom-Bust Cycles – Negative prices, COVID’s impact, and risky shutdowns. 58:54 Enhanced Recovery – Pump jacks, CO₂ injection, and reservoir pressure. 1:14:54 The Big Picture – Proven reserves, peak oil confusions, and the carbon cycle.
The 500-Year History of Climate Concern

The 500-Year History of Climate Concern

Jean-Baptiste Fressoz, a French historian of science & technology, shares how European societies grappled with climate change centuries before modern science proved the scale and breadth of its impact, revealing a forgotten saga where colonial ambitions and volcanic winters shaped our earliest understanding of Earth's shifting climate. Grounding our discussion is his Fressoz’s 2024 book "Chaos in the Heavens: The Forgotten History of Climate Change," co-authored with Fabien Locher. Episode title on podcast apps: The Forgotten Climate Debate Order Fressoz's book: https://www.versobooks.com/products/2725-chaos-in-the-heavens?srsltid=AfmBOorAD-1jvDU-BKAnqjWzOXvdmkcl9c3gTQeTxXWDUgdbTJVNVsAn Listen to Decouple on: • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PNr3ml8nEQotWWavE9kQz • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/decouple/id1516526694?uo=4 • Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1516526694/decouple • Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/ehbfrn44 • RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/23775178/podcast/rss Website: https://www.decouple.media Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 02:01 Historical Perspectives on Climate Change 03:13 Deforestation and Its Global Impact 03:53 Climate and Political Stability in Early Modern Societies 09:38 The Little Ice Age and Its Implications 11:29 The Orbis Spike Hypothesis 15:48 Colonial Narratives and Climate Change 25:35 Theories of Climate Zones and Human Impact 42:06 Impact of the Tambora Explosion on Climate 46:08 Early Scientific Research on Climate Change 49:32 Deep Time Perspective and Ice Age Discovery 54:35 French Environmentalism and Key Thinkers 01:02:17 Climate Regulation and Private Property 01:06:09 Shift from Climate to Microbiology and Sociology 01:12:51 Nuclear Scientists and Modern Climate Understanding 01:22:34 Final Thoughts
bottom of page