Why are gas prices rising?

With the rising gas prices, why aren't the other alternatives to gas not showing up?

• I once saw a scientist on a T.V. show say that by doing something with algae he could produce gasoline. Or the gas you could get from corn (I think). I know there is electric but I don't have the money or the need for a puny electric car. I haven't seen anyone say anything about an electric truck and the work I do needs a truck that can last longer than 24hrs without a very long charging time. Yes, and I know about the hybrids. I know there's diesel and the option to convert to bio-diesel but I don't have the money for a diesel truck when I spend most of it just to buy gas. What will there be when the oil runs out or it gets up to $20 a gallon?

• Answer:

  The infrastructure and scientific breakthroughs are getting there, about a decade too late for many people but you are not the only one concerned. Electric vehicles are hampered too much by the constraints of large batteries and long charging time, but chemists are developing newer, smaller batteries that charge faster. I too saw that TV special about the algae growers, its very exciting! If an alternative to dinosaur gas could be developed that could run in a normal gas engine that would be ideal, because it would mean that the world wouldn't have to replace an enormous fleet of vehicles with cars that are electric or run on hydrogen cells or some other technology. It does seem that it is coming, but again, not here yet. As for your final question on what will happen when the oil runs out? Well, for one, oil cannot run out. It is a renewable resource. Animals and plants are dying today just as they did millions of years ago, they are decomposing at the same rate, so oil is constantly being made. True we are now consuming oil at at rate far faster than it is being naturally produced, however it will always be available, for a price of course. Some scientists claim that there will always be oil to run the very most basic of vehicles for the country, like ambulances and Air Force One, while worst case scenario, civilians will have to adapt. But that is just what will happen, we will adapt. We will stable our "necessary" trucks for 10 years while the algae growers grow their crops, all buy horses and get our work done like we did 150 years ago. Or, the internet will provide so many work opportunities that commuting will be largely unnecessary. Or, there will be worldwide famine and many people will die, and the planet will revert back to a more sustainable human population, half a billion or so. Or, it will be like Mad Max. Something will happen, we will adapt and move on, and it probably won't be as bad as everyone fears it will be. See you in the Thunderdome.