The Icarus Effect

Jordan and Anne
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Tech News

Welcome to Sad Facts with Jordan and Anne! Every episode, we dive into a new technology or scientific development - and discuss the potential ethical downsides. Together, we'll explore all sides of the story from the history of a technology to the people it affects.

Episodes

  1. 10/05/2025

    Episode One: Rare Earth Minerals

    Welcome! On our first episode, we'll dive into the problems surrounding one of the most ubiquitous technologies: rare earth minerals necessary for sustainable energy sources like solar power. We'll start by exploring the impact and history of fossils fuels, then compare it to the extraction of rare earths. Along the way, we'll consider the effects in two main areas: human rights and the environment. Works Cited: United Nations. “Facts and Figures | United Nations.” United Nations, “Hydraulic Fracturing and Health.” n.d. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. “Cobalt Is Critical to the Renewable Energy Transition. How Can We Minimize Its Social and Environmental Cost? | Ensia.” 2020. Ensia. May 14, 2020. Kara, Siddharth. Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives. First edition. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2023. Surma, By Katie. 2023. “Mining Critical to Renewable Energy Tied to Hundreds of Alleged Human Rights Abuses - Inside Climate News.” Inside Climate News. June 7, 2023. “Coal Mines.” n.d. UK Parliament. Admin, Madeo. 2022. “Convict Leasing in Alabama Coal Mines.” Equal Justice Initiative. June 3, 2022. Terrell, Ellen. 2021. “The Convict Leasing System: Slavery in Its Worst Aspects | Inside Adams.” The Library of Congress. June 17, 2021. McLean, Iain. 2025. “Aberfan: No End of a Lesson - History &Amp; Policy.” History & Policy. February 25, 2025. “Executive Summary – the Role of Critical Minerals in Clean Energy Transitions – Analysis - IEA.” n.d. IEA. Davey, Charlotte. 2024. “The Environmental Impacts of Cobalt Mining in Congo.” Earth.Org. March 5, 2024. Bontron, Cécile. 2024. “Rare-earth Mining in China Comes at a Heavy Cost for Local Villages.” The Guardian, November 11, 2024. NASA Earth Observatory. n.d. “Where Batteries Begin.” . Barber, Harriet. 2024. “Battle Lines Redrawn as Argentina’s Lithium Mines Ramp up to Meet Electric Car Demand.” The Guardian, July 25, 2024. Earth.Org. 2025. “Explainer: What Is Green Colonialism?” August 14, 2025. Valk, Steve. 2023. “Are Clean Technologies and Renewable Energies Better for the Environment Than Fossil Fuels?” Citizens’ Climate Lobby. August 17, 2023.

  • 1 Episode

About

Welcome to Sad Facts with Jordan and Anne! Every episode, we dive into a new technology or scientific development - and discuss the potential ethical downsides. Together, we'll explore all sides of the story from the history of a technology to the people it affects.

Information

  • Creator
    Jordan and Anne
  • Years Active
    2025
  • Episodes
    1
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    The Icarus Effect