#1613: The Three Laws of Robotics

[[Young person 1 and person 2 are in front of person 1’s science project]]

Person 1: My science project is a baking soda and vinegar volcano!

Person 2: Why do people make these? It isn’t really a science project. It doesn’t teach anything about-

«FOOM»

[[The miniature volcano begins to erupt. A third person walks into the frame.]]

Person 1: See how the baking soda and vinegar mix with mud and ice to form deadly flowing lahars?

[[Closeup of the side of the miniature volcano]]

Person 1: You can see the tiny cars trying to flee.

Whoops! Too slow.

Person 2: Um. This is a bit grim.

Person 1: Learning!

«RUMBLE»

Person 1: And now we’re learning that this volcano is an offshoot of a vinegar hotspot rising from deep within the earth.

annnd…

«BOOM»

[[Person 1 looks to the window]]

Person 1: The baking soda supervolcano erupts, injecting clouds of salt into the stratosphere

[[Person 3 peers outside the window]]

Person 3: Why is it getting dark outside?

Person 1: Learning is fun!

Person 1: Sunlight dims. The earth cools. Summer frosts form. Crops die. We check the markets. Grain prices are rising.

[[She holds a chart indicating grain prices rising]]

Person 3: I want to stop learning now.

Person 1: Soon, we all will.