Chilling Effects

There is a new story (here) out about the forecast solar minimum.  Supposedly, this will be the least active sun cycle seen in centuries.  While the effects of the sun's cycles are not completely understood, the last time the sun was inactive was during the time of the "Little Ice Age," around 1650-1715, when growing seasons got shorter and the weather noticeably colder than it had been for some time in Europe (remember, the Middle Ages in Europe were a time of relative warmth). 

The declining activity of the sun was the subject of a very well-done science fiction movie, called "Sunshine," and has been the subject of numerous other works of fiction.  While this probably isn't the start of something apocalyptic, it's a stark reminder that our life and circumstances are very dependent on things will outside our control.  It's hard to say exactly what would happen in the next few years if this comes to pass.  Food may be somewhat rarer and more expensive, to start with -- something already problematic in a day and age when inflation is beginning to drive the price of food up.


It also really points to the reality of how vulnerable the human race is, that we're stuck on earth for now and the foreseeable future.  What would be the response of the human race if the sun were raging out of control and drastically raising global temperatures? 

In some ways, we tend to assume that a "Dark Age" or "collapse" is a loss of what we already have -- information, wealth, population, etc.  However, if we can look at it another way -- we are simply sitting still, while we need to be steadily advancing as a species and culture.  If we expect that the creation and use of technology is geared to the survival and continuance of our species, then is it not true that failing to advance ourselves is tantamount to guaranteeing our demise?