So Man’s red flower has the power. That is the theme of this, the first episode of Fashion By Dad
The episode is on Fire. I mean, yes, the episode is on fire, I’m hot, ‘always one degree above room temperature’, but the topic of the episode is also Fire. The fear of fire, burning bad people, burning to clear land. This introduction just reminds us about the physics and chemistry of fire.
The other elements will follow. Next week, Fashion by Dad takes to the Air.
It is the fundamental technology enabler. With fire we can cook food, boil water, split rocks, harden metal. melt the metal out of minerals, shape metals, make tools, make machines. The Internal Combustion Engine has been the pinnacle of the fire based culture. It’s age is past, the electrification of transport has begun.
But that’s just the physics.
Let’s look at the chemistry.
The sun shines on plants. The plant uses the sun’s energy to join water and carbon dioxide to create complex carbohydrates. Humans and other animals, that’s right, remember, we are all animals, eat the complex carbohydrates and extract the energy stored there by the plant.
YUMMM.
As we consume that energy we breathe out carbon dioxide and water.
Fire does exactly the same thing. Living bodies are little fires returning the sun’s energy to the atmosphere.
The rise of the red-flower-powered civilisation has been the rise of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. That’s why the end of fossil fuels is necessary to end the climate crisis.
The decarbonisation of society has begun.
And that’s just breathing. Wait until we get to methane! Everyone loves a good Fart joke.