The video discusses the potential of asteroid mining as an alternative to traditional mining, which is harmful to the environment and human health. The speaker begins by highlighting the power of modern computers and the precious materials used in technology, such as Terbium, Nneodymium, and Tantalum. These materials are extracted from the ground, a process that is harmful to the environment and human health. The speaker then discusses the political aspect of rare resources, where countries restrict access to them for their own gain.
The speaker proposes a solution to these problems: asteroid mining. Asteroids, which are leftover rocks, metals, and ice from the formation of the planet 4.5 billion years ago, contain trillions worth of industrial and precious metals. The speaker mentions that even relatively small metallic asteroids may contain trillions worth of industrial and precious metals like platinum. The speaker also mentions that bigger asteroids like 16 Psyche could contain enough iron nickel to cover the world's metal needs for millions of years.
However, the speaker points out that asteroid mining is currently too expensive to replace mining on Earth. The speaker mentions that going to space is expensive and that going further out into deep space costs even more. The speaker suggests switching from classical rockets to electric spaceships as a solution to make asteroid mining profitable. The speaker also mentions that the first space mining and processing equipment has been installed in orbit and is now carefully moving towards the asteroid.
The speaker then discusses how to extract the precious metals from the asteroid. The processor works differently than on Earth, with giant mirrors focusing sunlight and heating up asteroid rock to boil out the gases. Grinders break up the dried rocks into gravel and dust, and centrifuges separate dense from light elements. The speaker mentions that even if only 0.01% of the asteroid's mass is extracted in precious metals, this is still several times more than you'd get from the same amount of ore on the ground.
The speaker then discusses how to get the precious metals back to Earth. There are a few ways, like loading it into reusable rockets that return to Earth from space. If the processor contains 3-D printers, a faster and cheaper delivery system can be printed. The speaker also mentions that heat shielded capsules filled with gas bubbles can be dropped into the oceans where ships tow them away.
The speaker concludes by stating that all of this is not science fiction and that we could start building this future today. The speaker also mentions a partnership with Skillshare, an online learning community, offering unlimited access to all classes for $10/month with an annual premium membership. The first 1000 Kurzgesagt viewers will get a two-month trial for free. The speaker encourages viewers to leave their comfort zone, explore new skills, and support Kurzgesagt by giving it a try.
1. The speaker is casually watching a video on YouTube on a computer more powerful than anything humanity could build a few decades ago.
2. The progress and wonderful machines we use today are built on rare and precious materials like Terbium, Neodymium, or Tantalum.
3. The mining industry is responsible for air and water pollution and the destruction of entire landscapes.
4. Dangerous chemicals like cyanide, sulphuric acid, or chlorine are used to extract these resources, harming biodiversity, workers, and locals.
5. Rare resources are also political tools, used by countries to restrict access to them to get their way.
6. The speaker suggests that we could replace the mining industry on earth with a clean process that can't harm anyone.
7. The speaker suggests that we can look up to find a solution, referring to asteroids.
8. Asteroids are millions of trillions of tons of rocks, metals, and ice, leftovers from the cloud that became the planet 4.5 billion years ago.
9. Most of these asteroids are concentrated in the asteroid belt and the Kuiper belt, while hundreds of thousands more do their own thing between the planets.
10. As space travel becomes more feasible, scientists and economists have begun looking at the resources found in these asteroids.
11. Even relatively small metallic asteroids may contain trillions worth of industrial and precious metals like platinum.
12. Bigger asteroids like 16 Psyche could contain enough iron nickel to cover the world's metal needs for millions of years.
13. At current market prices, the rare raw materials alone would be worth quadrillions of dollars.
14. Going to space is expensive, with costs in thousands of dollars in rocket fuel for each kilogram, just to reach a low earth orbit.
15. Going further out into deep space costs thousands more.
16. The speaker suggests that we need cheaper space travel to make asteroid mining profitable.
17. One solution is to switch from classical rockets to electric spaceships.
18. The speaker mentions that we already use electrical rocket engines for many of the space probes on science missions.
19. The speaker suggests that we only need to build bigger ones for electrical engines to fly to space.
20. The speaker mentions that our first targets for asteroid mining will probably be near-Earth asteroids.
21. The speaker describes the process of securing the asteroid and stopping it from spinning, which can be done in multiple ways.
22. The speaker describes the process of moving the asteroid into a trajectory that takes it near our Moon, using the Moon's gravitational pull to put the asteroid in a stable orbit around Earth.
23. The speaker describes the process of installing the first space mining and processing equipment in orbit, which is now carefully moving towards the asteroid.
24. The speaker describes the process of extracting precious metals from the asteroid, which is several times more than you'd get from the same amount of ore on the ground.
25. The speaker describes a few ways to get the precious metals safely back to Earth, like loading them into reusable rockets that return to Earth from space.
26. The speaker suggests that as our infrastructure and experience grow, our missions get more and more sophisticated.
27. The speaker suggests that as the space industry grows and precious materials become cheaper, we could stop mining on Earth.
28. The speaker suggests that the idea of toxic mining down here might become something weird and anachronistic, like having an open fire in your living room.
29. The speaker suggests that landscapes ravaged by pollution will heal, while the technological wonders we're used to get cheaper and less toxic to make.
30. The speaker suggests that none of this is science fiction and that we could start building this future today.
31. The speaker suggests that all we need is an initial push to start building this future.
32. The speaker suggests that we could use a little nudge to try something new and fun.
33. The speaker mentions that they have partnered with Skillshare, an online learning community with thousands of classes in all kinds of creative skills.
34. The speaker mentions that unlimited access to all classes on Skillshare is only $10/month with an annual premium membership.
35.