In 'Termination Shock', Neal Stephenson depicts a near-future world ravaged by the greenhouse effect, with superstorms, rising sea levels, global flooding, heat waves, and deadly pandemics. The story centers around T.R. Schmidt, a Texas billionaire who implements a solar geoengineering scheme by seeding the atmosphere with sulfur dioxide to cool the planet. However, this plan has uneven effects globally, benefiting some regions while threatening others. The novel follows a diverse cast of characters, including the Queen of the Netherlands and a Canadian-Indian Sikh, as they grapple with the geopolitical and social consequences of this rogue climate fix. The book raises critical questions about the potential solutions and dire risks associated with large-scale climate interventions[1][3][5].
The Ministry for the Future is a novel by Kim Stanley Robinson that delves into the urgent issue of climate change. Set in the near future, the story follows the establishment of a UN agency, the Ministry for the Future, whose mission is to advocate for the rights of future generations. The novel is told through multiple perspectives, including those of Mary Murphy, the head of the Ministry, and Frank May, an American aid worker who survives a devastating heat wave in India. The book explores various innovative solutions to climate change, such as the introduction of a new currency called 'carboni' to incentivize decarbonization, and it presents a hopeful yet realistic vision of how humanity might cooperate to mitigate the effects of climate change. The narrative includes a mix of fictional eyewitness accounts, non-fiction descriptions, and diverse writing styles, reflecting the complexity and urgency of the climate crisis[1][3][5].
Molly and Jason discuss the news that Coinbase is doing another 20% RIF. (6:50) Then they discuss the announcement that Microsoft is investing $10B into OpenAI with some pretty favourable terms. (27:19) After, Molly and Jason chat about Make Sunsets’ plan to cool the planet and Enpal, a German solar panel company raising money at a $2.4B valuation. (46:56) Then we wrap with this year’s first edition of TWiCS featuring Mike O’Kronley, CEO of Ascend Elements. (1:00:56)
(0:00) M+J kick off the show
(2:10) Atmospheric rivers and the chaos in California
(6:50) Coinbase does another 20% RIF
(11:56) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist
(13:03) The future of employment in tech
(21:50) Mixpanel - Apply for $50K in credits at https://mixpanel.com/startups
(23:16) The perfect amount of founders
(27:19) Microsoft is invests $10B into OpenAI
(32:46) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/TWIST
(34:10) OpenAI going from a non-profit to a for-profit + What is roundtripping?
(46:56) Make Sunsets raises $750K to do what?!
(53:05) Enpal raises at a $2.4B valuation
(1:00:56) TWiCS: Mike O’Kronley of Ascend Elements
FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis
FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood
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