Question of the day

MarkMas

Chief pedant
Messages
8,795
While we wait for wink,

What natural resource did the United Nations Environment Programme say in 2014 was being used up at a speed that “greatly exceeds natural renewal rates” and that the amount being used was "increasing exponentially, mainly as a result of rapid economic growth in Asia”, resulting in fears that it would run out by 2030?
 

Navcorr

Member
Messages
3,839
Helium is a good guess actually. Fresh water scarcity is a known issue but to "run out" by 2030 seems unlikely. Economic growth activity covers such a range of possibilities but relating this to a natural resource - hmmm, will guess at gravel.
 

MarkMas

Chief pedant
Messages
8,795
Helium is a good guess actually. Fresh water scarcity is a known issue but to "run out" by 2030 seems unlikely. Economic growth activity covers such a range of possibilities but relating this to a natural resource - hmmm, will guess at gravel.

Close!
 

GeoffCapes

Member
Messages
14,000
Is this one of those rare earth minerals like Neodymium? Which is used in magnets, electric car batteries and computers etc?
 

Navcorr

Member
Messages
3,839
In that case - sand. Really? Come to think of it I do recall an article during the 2012 Olympic beach volleyball comp. saying the sand used was a particular size but overall it was becoming scarce. It is used in all manner of materials but would've thought gravel more likely to run out sooner.
 

MarkMas

Chief pedant
Messages
8,795
In that case - sand. Really? Come to think of it I do recall an article during the 2012 Olympic beach volleyball comp. saying the sand used was a particular size but overall it was becoming scarce. It is used in all manner of materials but would've thought gravel more likely to run out sooner.

You are right, it is sand. Particularly 'sharp sand' used in construction. Apparently there is plenty of 'smooth sand'.
 

Navcorr

Member
Messages
3,839
Ahh - drawing a distinction between sands would make sense. A quick aside re: gravel relates to a former work colleague. His membership of a small golf course was valued in excess of £100K in 1990. 80 life members turned it down even though they'd get a new course built as part of the deal. Their course, playable all year round, was literally sitting on top of a fortune.

Have we had a link question recently? No that's not the question - what links:

Storm, Thunder and Lightning? More to follow if needed.
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,539
Ahh - drawing a distinction between sands would make sense. A quick aside re: gravel relates to a former work colleague. His membership of a small golf course was valued in excess of £100K in 1990. 80 life members turned it down even though they'd get a new course built as part of the deal. Their course, playable all year round, was literally sitting on top of a fortune.

Have we had a link question recently? No that's not the question - what links:

Storm, Thunder and Lightning? More to follow if needed.

Well they are all characters in the Chinese i-ching, for a start

C
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,539
I will bow to your greater knowledge of such things - but not what I'm looking for.




They could well be but, again, not what I'm after. These are names, hence the capitalisation, however nothing as interesting as military history.

I think they are also names of Superheroes.

Possibly quite a broad set of correct answers :)

C