Word: petroleum
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...degree programs similar to those available at U.S. schools. The University of Toronto, for example, lists 300 separate degree programs. Many institutions also claim renowned or unusual specializations, such as polar studies at Trent; ocean science at Memorial University of Newfoundland, conflict resolution at the University of Winnipeg, and petroleum engineering at the University of Alberta...
Which returns us to gasoline and its source, petroleum. The earth's underground stores of petroleum are not quite as ample as those of coal or natural gas, but there is enough to supply humanity for many decades, even with rising population and living standards. Crippling shortages may still occur, of course. But they will arise from skulduggery or incompetence on the part of corporations or governments, not from any physical scarcity...
...Nigerian economy's addiction to petroleum has led to a series of unfortunate compromises in the not-too-distant past, including environmental degradation, rampant human rights abuses and urban degeneration. These are not problems unique to Nigeria, but the world is watching how Nigeria handles a renewed voucher for democracy...
Nine years ago, the United States led a broad UN coalition in a war against Saddam Hussein and Iraq. It successfully repelled the Iraqis from Kuwait and its petroleum riches. However, the war ended in a stalemate, with Saddam still (ruthlessly) ruling Iraq and no way but sanctions and air strikes to keep his regime in check. With children dying from untreated diseases and malnutrition and the Kurds existing day-to-day by the humor of Saddam's Republican Guard, the Americans expressed concern about the situation. They bolstered the program of weapons inspections, the condition for lifting sanctions...
Producing energy through nuclear fusion is easy enough to do--provided you have a reactor that can generate temperatures hotter than the sun's. If you could somehow achieve fusion at room temperature, you'd have an unlimited source of power that could retire petroleum, nuclear and solar energy for good...