Will our grandchildren regard the internal combustion engine has one of the major failures of the human race?

Question

Shuntlock - the steam engine was/is more efficient than the internal combustion engine.

Answer 1

I agree with Shuntlock.  The internal combustion engine had a few good decades -- maybe a good century.  But we should have come up with something better by now.  It will be considered a failure if we don't replace fossil fuels very soon.  Personally, I believe this is more than possible -- but it will be difficult to wean ourselves from this.

Answer 2

I pray that my grandchildren will have more wisdom than that.

Answer 3

Is "I have no grandchildren" a selfish remark?

Answer 4

No. It was the best we could come up with at the time but it has had it's day.

Answer 5

Not at all........ That engine gives you and I the things

we shelter ourselves in.....the clothing we wear......the food we

eat......the modern lives we live.

Unless you consider living in the manner of medieval Europe

inviting......

They will be happy,for that engine will power the sedan

that shall bring Grandpa and Grandma to their home for the

Holidays...........

Answer 6

And what do you propose they use to run your steam engines, coal.  natural gas, petrol, diesel.  lasers.  In 30 years, I'm 100% positive that the internal combustion engine will still be around.

Answer 7

i have no grandchildren

Answer 8

They shouldn't. Whilst I understand the planet is under threat, should we not have made any progress? Should we blame our ancestors for inventing the wheel and fire? We are clever enough to understand what we have done to our planet, we should therefore be capable of finding a way to save it.

Answer 9

Where would we be without it.

Answer 10

No. They will go see them in museums.

Answer 11

I have already been thinking that , for a long time.

If we had gone straight into anti gravity ,like the star wars flying bikes ,we would have had no need for all this asphalt replacing nature.

And we would not have had the air pollution of today

Answer 12

I have to comment on this nonsense about steam engines being more efficient than internal combustion engines:

1. Building up steam takes a long time and a lot of energy. You could be burning fuel for several hours just to heat the boiler, without extracting any useful energy.

2. Steam engines lose a lot of energy through inefficient combustion.

3. Steam engines are large and have a lot of mechanical resistance. It takes a lot of energy simply to turn a steam engine over, before you even have enough power to operate machinery with it.

4. Because of their size and weight, they are impractical for use in a moving vehicle (with the possible exception of trains) and it takes even more energy just to move the sheer weight of the thing.

Answer 13

No, and they will probably own several of them as well just like I do.