One of the most known theory, which was especially popular during and soon after the Cold War, is extinction due to nuclear war. In a nutshell, it’s speculated that if Russia were to use its nuclear weapons and USA responded in the same manner (or vice versa), the Earth’s atmosphere would be completely destroyed and such phenomena like firestorms or nuclear winters would happen. What’s more, surviving population would be affected by incurable radiation sickness due to lack of any modern technology, which would be previously destroyed by electromagnetic pulses. Nothing pleasant.
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| "Nuclear mushroom" caused by one of the first thermonuclear bomb deployed - Castle Romeo |
Another way in which humans could kill themselves is the biological weapon. It was never used in a large-scale conflict yet but fits in modern warfare types well. Instead of sending soldiers to the frontlines, just send some genetically modified bacteria or virus to do the job for them. If it were modified “too well”, such bacteria could get out of the control and kill humanity before any cure would be invented. Officially those types of weapon are prohibited by the international humanitarian law but we’ve already seen many cases of breaking it (i.e. terrorists) so it’s not that improbable.
Probably most popular reason nowadays and hopefully not caused by humanity itself is meteor crash. Even though the Earth’s atmosphere protects us from small asteroids hitting the planet (which actually happens quite often), it might not be able to endure collision with a larger object, and those surely exist. In 2018, an American foundation, called B612 Foundation, which was created to protect the Earth from interstellar threats reported that "It’s 100 per cent certain we’ll be hit [by a devastating asteroid], but we’re not 100 per cent certain when." In the same year even Stephen Hawking confirmed that asteroid collision is probably the biggest danger for life on earth. There’s actually the real chance that dangerous crash with asteroid named Bennu might occur in 2135. NASA has already deployed OSIRIS-REx spacecraft in order to collect samples from Bennu surface and determine if the threat is big.
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| Map of unharmful asteroid collision events |
In the end I encourage you to watch a short TED video featuring an astronomer Martin Rees, who not only advertises his book but also describes how small and fragile we, as a civilization, are.
Questions:
- Have you ever wondered if and how our civilization would end? If yes, what’s your theory?
- Do you think countries from around the world would be able to join forces if any kind of interstellar threat, like huge asteroid, appeared?
- What are your thoughts about dictatorship countries, like Iran or North Korea, which abuse international laws and work on the nuclear technology despite criticism from the international public opinion? Do you think they pose any threat to our species?
Sources:
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/world-news/asteroids-earth-space-apocalypse-meteor-17133417
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_holocaust
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_warfare
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2018/03/19/theres-a-small-chance-an-asteroid-will-smack-into-earth-in-2135-nasa-is-working-on-a-plan/
Probably I've wondered a few times but not for long because in my opinion only God knows when it will happen. All theories are just speculations and I don't believe them. No one can find out when will be the end of the world. They can only guess and for me it's wasting time because they won't be able to do anything to stop it
ReplyDeleteSome countries will be able to join and try to work together but there will be some individuals for sure.
I think I don't have enough knowledge but in my opinion countries which are still working on nuclear weapons may pose a threat.
I mostly agree but I don't think caring about future of humanity is wasting time. A lot of changes happen gradually (for example greenhouse effect) or are quite easy to predict and we should constantly monitor them in order to determine if they are dangerous for our species.
Delete1. I never thought how our civilization would end. I am Catholic, I've always heard the Last Judgment script.
ReplyDelete2. I think so, although it depends on where the asteroid would hit and what damage it would cause. I wonder what North Korea would do if an asteroid hit the US.
3. Personally, I'm a little worried because dictators have the fact that they don't listen to others, so they don't know what they can plan. Today is peace, tomorrow may be the third world war.
I agree with your last sentence. A lot of people are used to peace but everyone tends to forget it's very fragile and is caused mostly due to money reasons. I think it could crumble easily if any of the most powerful states decided it's beneficial for it.
DeleteI have never spent too much time thinking about how humanity will die. I more often worry about possibility of wars and other large conflicts. I think that sooner we as humans will kill each other than that astroid will wipe us off the face of the earth. Cooperation of states against the global threat will probably work as it is today, i.e. there will be many people whose views will be conflicting and will not want to join the alliance. I think that every country with weapon which can kill enermous amount of people is a threat for a human kind, so not only North Korea or Iran is a threat.
ReplyDeleteI agree that any country with mass destruction weapon can kill a lot of people but I think what's important is the attitude to human life. While western governments respect human life (unfortunately for the price of privacy), dictatorships are often treating their people like ants and don't respect their laws at all. That's why it'd be dangerous if any of those states were in possession of nuclear weapons.
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ReplyDeleteI used to watch document series that was about space. There was a theory that Sun will grow and grow and then change to Supernova, which will be growing to this size that will absorb whole solar system. But don’t worry, guy from document told that it will be in hundredths or thousands years. I think that every “power country” will fight with threaten by their own and when they understand that their actions won’t impact enough to defeat it, there will be too late. So no. I think every country that has nuclear technology weapon is a threat to world peace.
ReplyDeleteWell, I believe people will be colonizing new planets before Sun becomes supernova, so I guess they will just emigrate ;)
Delete1. For me the most probable theory is that machines will rule humans, or alternatively that we will try to alter our genome and this might have dire consequences, it will end to human extinction. I do not exclude the possibility of a nuclear war, as there some hot points in the world.
ReplyDelete2. I think we would have no choice, as to join forces and form an international agrement in order to be able to contain the approaching danger. However I do allow a theory that hostility could be stronger and some countries would like to cooperate with each other, which would directly lead to a disaster.
3. I understand the notion, that some dictators who enslave their citizens can pose a threat, as they are not fully predictable. However I also point to the fact, that these distators are usually to afraid of losing their power to actually do something unreasonable.
True, being conquered by AI is another popular theory I completely forgot about. Even the most influential people on Earth believe that it may actually happen so there’s surely something about it
DeleteHave you ever wondered if and how our civilization would end? If yes, what’s your theory?
ReplyDeleteI would lie if I'd tell you that I've never wondered what might happen during our lifetime but it's not so simple to guess. What's most realistic for me is that some moron with thumb on the nuclear button will lose his temper and the rest of his fellows won't mind to give it back.
Second most common scenario for me is that Earth would have sweet kiss with some serious asteroid. "The rest" won't kill us, at least not all as species.
Do you think countries from around the world would be able to join forces if any kind of interstellar threat, like huge asteroid, appeared?
That's a good question and unfortunately I think that all of super-nations. Some of them like China or Russia would like to gain something extra from that situation (even if it would be highly possible that we won't survive). Also, it would be great opportunity to achive something memorable for all humankind so how don't want to become a all-time superhero.
What are your thoughts about dictatorship countries, like Iran or North Korea, which abuse international laws and work on the nuclear technology despite criticism from the international public opinion? Do you think they pose any threat to our species?
I think that I said everything in point one where I mentioned nuclear weapon as a main thread for human kind but I won't be so sure that countries you put on the list are most likely to destruct us :)
Let’s just hope this moron will be stopped by some reasonable man, then :)
DeleteI agree there’s the risk that big states will try to gamble and make the global crises beneficial for them. Maybe it’s high time to vote for people who think globally and not only locally?
I’ve never thought of civilization extinction, to be honest, but theories you described seems extremely fascinating and terrifying at the same time. I guess that the most probable theory concerning the end of humanity is asteroid crush. I’ve heard before opinions similar to these you cited and they sound reasonable. I suppose joining forces is necessary but I’m not sure if there is anything we as humans can do to stop this threat. Perhaps there exist methods I’m not aware of, but it seems to be hard to combat. Dictatorship countries for sure can be a risk, but personally, I don’t believe they would try to use nuclear weapons because that could mean their extinction too.
ReplyDeleteI think there’s a way to detour the asteroid if it’s detected early enough so I think nations should already start to cooperate in this matters.
DeleteIt’s true about dictatorship but remember that it’s only one man. If he gets cornered and be desperate enough, he probably won’t care about his life that much
When I was younger I thought a lot about end of humanity and what kind of disaster need to happen to cause such thing. But after all these years, only idea for me is nuclear war.
ReplyDeleteI think that finally it's possible but it's not so obvious. Bigger countries I think would try to deal with such disaster on their own, and only when they won't be able to do anything that may help, after much and much dilemmas it's possible.
I think that countries like North Korea or even China are one of the biggest threats for humanity. Sometimes when we hear about ideas or dictator's behaviour, it sounds like they are not from our world and have such uncommon and dangerous ideas which can lead to wars and much much worse.
Looking at the global warming and all terrible things, that our civilization does to our planet, I guess that most likely we will end our civilization ourselves.
ReplyDeleteI think that if the potential threat and its destructive effects would be confirmed in 100 percent by countries and institutions around the world, then people would be able to unite. History knows such cases, maybe on a much smaller scale, but they occurred.
I think countries like North Korea are not a threat because they have no chance in case of a war with a world power like the USA. If instead of Korea it would be China (and maybe it is, who knows), it can be potentially dangerous in the future.
Despite all the evidence about a range of potential dangers that could make our species extinct I strongly believe in humans’ ability to adapt. Adaptability is humanities’ key feature that let us strive through ice age, plague inflammations, numerous other natural cataclysms and disasters. In fact, our species has been becoming stronger and more resilient to the challenges natural hazards. We have been developing emergency plans, approach potential hazards preventively and preemptively, train and model scenarios, work on technological capabilities that would allow us to survive through potential dangers. Beyond that, there is a solid progress in research which enables us to withstand a variety of new conditions. Neuroenhancers or even vaccines make us stronger against numerous potential unfavourable environments which humans could face.
ReplyDeleteTo conclude, there are reasons to stay optimistic, and we really can hope that one day humans will colonize Mars and become intercontinental species.
The fragility of mankind, or the end of the world as we know it has always been an interesting topic of conversation. Due to the rapid growth of human population and our increasing demand for natural resources, I do believe that the most probable threat comes from ourselves as a human race and our unbridled industrial activity; a global cataclysm is more likely to occur caused by our own actions rather than come from outer space. But still, the extraterrestrial threat is also something that cannot be marginalized. If it comes to space exploration, international cooperation has been seen in the past and the present - the ISS has been running successfully for over 20 years, and I do believe that in the wake of a serious and probable global catastrophe the most prominent countries would be able to rise above all animosities.
ReplyDeleteSome people are surely worried by the fact that some of the so-called 'sinister countries' like Iran run atomic programs and try to obtain nuclear warheads, but I believe that it is virtually impossible to imagine a scenario where such arsenal would have been used in real life - this weaponry is being developed and maintained purely as part of the great political game with no intention of real use.