End of the World as we know it.

[Birdjaguar]

and will ultimately get extinct like the dinosaurs.

The dinosaurs did not become extinct. Only the large ones died out. They live on as birds.

 

[CenturionV]

This scared me a great deal. Come to think of it we are not far of from the same faith as those civs. Overpopulation, depletion of resources, global warming, pollution, nuclear weapons + terrorism, crisis and breaking of environmental "circles" (food chains, water flows), mutations and so on. Of course some say that our technology will help us deal with all of that. Seriously with all those problems to solve (and they are getting bigger over the years) and so much population do you really think we can survive as a species?

Lets see....

Overpopulation: Myth, there is no overpopulation, because all statistics that predict it fail to recognize changing features of population growth, it slows, stops, some times regresses, they also fail to realize that as our population grows, so does are ability to have that population level continue and grow, in fact resources are now MORE abundant per person worldwide than they have been at any time in history. If you need proof look around your neighborhood, and see if anyone is living in a wood hut. The more people we get, the better off we become, more technology gets developed, more resources discovered and exploited as they should be. This will never change.

Depletion of resources: Quite unlikely any time soon, the more we use a resource up, the more we discover newer, better, faster, and cleaner ones. Its unlikely this will change for quite some time.

nuclear weapons + terrorism: Unlikely, all the nuclear weapons in the world can't destroy the whole think or make it unlivable. Bioweapons are dangerous but can only be used in limited terms or they become self defeating (they destroy those who use them along with the people they intend to destroy, and many have anti-dotes.)

crisis and breaking of environmental "circles": I don't see why this would happen, contrary to enviromentalist evolutionist, we are rarely "losing" species, we are simply having the selection of variations of those species cut down to closer to pre-flood level. Most animal kinds still remain, the only thing we are losing is variations of the thriving kinds of animals, variations which are not really necessary. (for instance if zebras go extinct, then we would lose a minor species, not a kind, there are still other horse species out there in large numbers, the same goes for any other species.)

mutations and so on: According to evolution mutations are good things? How would that threaten us? Anyway beneficial mutations are almost non-existant, adaptions maybe, but not mutations.

and so much population do you really think we can survive as a species

http://www.reformed.org/webfiles/antithesis/v1n4/ant_v1n4_growth.html

Feel free to disagree, but I see no serious reason to be alarmed.

 

[Tassadar]

My fear is that those largely responsible for the damage will never have to live with the consequences, since they will be able to afford to live in "gated communities" (=enclaves) with full access to air, water, and resources.

We are close to that point, what keep the rich safe for now is the middle class, they act like a buffer between the poorest and the billionair. But once the lack of ressource happen, they wont be able to support the huge middle class majority, then the whole populace will be poor and thats dangerous. But like you said, it will be already too late for earth, but i hope that those rich enclaves will be destroy by anarchy/revolt.

 

[The Last Conformist]

While this is true almost all of those extinct organisms were mostly bacteria or single celled.

Well, duh. Almost all organisms are bacteria or other single-celled ones.

Anyway, the vast majority of all multicellular organism that have ever existed are extinct without descendants anyway.

 

[Zeekater]

Lets see....

Depletion of resources: Quite unlikely any time soon, the more we use a resource up, the more we discover newer, better, faster, and cleaner ones. Its unlikely this will change for quite some time.

People have approximated how much there is left of almost all resources and that combined with the rate at which they are depleted annually gives you how long we can keep it up.
Almost all figures were smaller then 50 years...
You can't 'discover' new resources, for example for electricity you need wiring, made of copper. Copper can be recycled of course, no idea how much though.
We cannot indefinatly discover new ores or deposits...

 

[BasketCase]

A while back, I heard a bunch of "experts" predict that the entire planet had 40 years' worth of oil reserves left.

That prediction was made thirty years ago. Mysteriously, we still seem to have more than 40 years' worth of oil left.

 

[Gelion]

The point is that despite all new discoveries Earth has only a certain amount of resources this very minute. Sooner or later they will be consumed. Whats next? A miracle?

 

[cgannon64]

I hate sci-fi books or movies with enviromentalist undertones.

Look at Independence Day.

 

[luiz]

The world will not end.

If there is one group of people that were wrong 100% of the times this group is the doom-sayers.

They beat the marxists in terms of crappy predictions, and that's saying alot.

 

[CurtSibling]

Look at Independence Day.

I would prefer not to...

 

[Gelion]

This is a translation back to English of the part that scared me. I hope I do not violate any copyrights as this text does not really resemble the original and is very difficult to read. Read it and tell me what you think of it. I understand its a difficult read (machine translation)

- concrete planets - we not can. But if is a success a good method,
something it succeeds. This is only small bit of that, it is possible to observe that, and we
many planets undoubtedly missed, even neighbor. But the laws of the probability
their conditions in similar studies dictate. Our thousand of planets - this
the random sampling of billion, it is in no way not less.
- I on all are trees animals?
- well that you. I showed the interesting you. Less than two hundred not at all
have lives, at least by that, that we can reveal, but to forty
one there are land animals. Differences in essence in the sizes. I can
to show you monsters...
- somehow another time. I adore monsters, I feel to them the personal
attachment, because they are always negative characters in
fantastic films. I can with them play the whole day although. But now o
the main thing: you did find reason?
- yes. See. - Brad changed image.
Gigantic beehive appeared on the screen.
Mountain on the picture was entire pited by tunnels, partially or completely
filled with water. Strange creation, similar to the seals, they lapped,
they dived, scolding on the labyrinth of channels, disappearing and appearing so rapidly,
that the willow was not confident, that it sees one and the same essence twice.
- this is the planet Of sanga, distance ten thousand light years. We it
several months intensively studied the latter, and results very
uncomforting. These essences cause uneasiness.
Along the screen was moved the image of planet - sea and desert, frequently
mountains were encountered, settled and densely populated by these amphibious
by essences.
Willow recollected the rookeries of walruses, photographs of which it saw once.
Of vegetations there was any. Willow was puzzled, how they feed
the inhabitants of the planet Of sanga.
- this that, reason? Thus far 4 it saw nothing alarming, even
impressing. Society according to the type of anthill is simple and it is verysmall pastures.
They accurately will not attempt to drop bomb to the earth? - it attempted to hide behind
by mockery the increasing wave of horror, which covered it. These were
present extraterrestrial creations, and one only fact of their existence
it stunned.
- hardly they think about the Earth. Do not forget, we are far in the future for
them. I do not doubt, that now they everyone died out.
The image of separate channel filled screen.
On closer examination the aborigines appeared entirely not so, as
seals or cats.
Fish-descriptive body, it is outwardly clumsier, from the sides did project that the fins,
that whether fins, and from behind outgrowth, similar to the trunk.
Are on top two frog eyes mounted on the body, which looked
back.
Outgrowth, apparently, seizing functions were fulfilled, as trunk u
elephant.
- they nearest of all to the civilization from that, what you did reveal? Creatures,
which do live in the many-storeyed beaver houses and do lap in thepuddles?
- you underestimate them, Willow. This is technologically developed civilization.
It is far in front of us. In them already one hundred years is known makroskop.
Willow looked, but only something like the dwelling saw, several
fatty essences they were pulled down in the water, undoubtedly, malodorous. One of them
it rejected from the trunk liquid jet and slid forward, or it can be
back, under the action of reaction force.
- I want to hear more thorough line of reasoning. Maybe, 4 something
I do not understand?
- I will give to you lecture on their paleonthology. We inspected them
library, museums, bedroom - Dada, all this in them exist, although not such as
, and we copied several training films. We yet did not record them -
now this is done - but I will comment on on the motion. - it switched
image. - thus, the history of proboskoidov [ of armor. proboscis - trunk ],
in abbreviated form probov, the planet Of sanga.
Willow forgot about everything, listening to story and looking at the screen. Before it
appeared the planet Of sanga millions years ago: powerful forests of ferns on
it is drier, the accumulation of sponges in the ocean. The water rich in food they left to the land
reptile, similar to the terrestrial dvoyakodyshashchikh fishes, inhaling the humid air
dense atmosphere. They laid eggs on dry land, but predators devoured almost
everything, thus far fruit ripened under the sun rays, and natural selection brought k
to that, that their descendants already nurtured fruit in the tele-: viviparity. But even
tiny newborns were very vulnerable after this, and the evolution
it stopped at a compromise - placental amphibian. These animals comprised
the gene pool of form, which took possession of the entire planet in forty million years.
Primitive proboskoid did not produce strong impression. Their herd
they floated in the small seas, ejecting water from the trunk, clumsy they climbed on
coast, handling by fins. In them there was the fear, their eyes always were inverted in
the side of danger, and not in the future.
They died or in the teeth of predator, or it is simple in panic, it is foolish
they were divided against the cliffs.
But they reached successes, improving the method of movement,
the direction of the eruption of water was easy to change by theturning of trunk, A
fetid substance was added in some subtypes to this jet,
frightening away predator. Scent aggravated: they always awaited attack.
One form moved into the rocky zone of flow, - place, in which not
could live one another essence.
Seas changed during the flow, A
flow, caused by the action of two moons, had insidious disposition. Enormous round
cliffs were rolled, pressing everything on its way, breaking through ditches in the sand
sand bars and ocean floor, then, with the change of flows, they were moved into the the new
region. That there was disastrous place as for the land, so for the sea fauna.
Those tests of steel by the perfect amphibians, since their respiratory apparatus
it was fitted out as to the water, so to air. They learned
to be oriented in the flows, to foresee flows and to be escaped from
danger, crawling over from the channel into the channel. When the large marine predators
they dared to take away on the sand bar, tests removed necessary flows, so that
enemy was or isolated in the trap, or it occurred on dry land. But if
land beast invaded, also it was possible to entice it into the the natural
trap. Still timid tests got to know the taste of meat.
Then land rose, and sand bars stepped back. This was catastrophe for
probov; survived few, so they were not able to compete s
by land or marine animals in their native media. But one form, very
capable, I could build to itself house, there where nature did not create it. They not
we could rapidly run or float, or to fly, to them it was necessary to dig by its
by extremities channels on the coasts of seas and to bring to themwater. For the predators
labyrinths were opened. That, who entered into labyrinth, finally
it occurred in the blind alley, or in the narrow passage, and stones fell to it, or
spears from the transverse motions flew.
Late stones and spears were fitted out for the building and itbegan
the era of tools and weapon. Yoke-shaped outgrowth, no longer so necessary
for the movement, it became something like the hand, fins, are more not necessary for
floating, they became powerful shovels. The brain increased. It was required
means for the contact of high level. Air, vibrating in the trunk,
was created the gudyashchiy sound, that also composed the basis of speech.
But the labyrinth through several thousand years became the similarityof city.
Land again rose, and city was destroyed, the same lot of postigla
the place of the inhabiting of many other animals. Tests built their city, and it is less
capable and flexible animals died out. Tests almost lost byluyu shyness, A
meat pleased itself by them increasingly more.
Population increased, and new inhabitants required still more than food and
space. In order to facilitate situation in the city, the first were organized
colony. It is not entirely clear, as division of labor occurred, but in each
settlement was a complete staff of builders, hunters, vskarmlivateley. The first
colony was based in several hundred miles from the city. Following -
it is further. Finally all shores of planet were useyany
by city- labyrinths.
Now probov it was not learn. Being been glossy giants, they otvoyevyvali
the territory of its ancient enemies. Organization and reason they conquered. They
lands moved into the depth, after developing the method of the water supply into the placesabove
sea level, its retention and aeration. The time of technologies came.
It was necessary to manifest ever greater resourcefulness, in proportion to
planet became increasingly of less suitable for the stay. Rains fell out
it is thinner - more powerful pumps were created, animal peace disappeared - they were derived
the new species of cattle. Trunk test now could work well on the suction,
by them it was possible to take objects as by sucker, but seizure was weak,
it proved to be, what to more simply use its mobility and adroitness for thecreation
machines and to charge to them hard work.
The fauna and flora became poor after the mastery of continents, and useful
fossilized it became increasingly less, and for tests it was necessary to create the effective
the technology of obtaining food. Sea farms supplied meat, the rest
hydroponics supplemented. Science rapidly was developed, the mastery began
space. But this required enormous energy, and their peace was devastated
by the barbarous use of natural resources of the past centuries. They searched for the possibilities
to colonize other peaces, so, as once they colonized the coasts
native planet, however, they had not time, not technology for the the long
space expedition with the small chances to the success.
Technologies were developed, and civilization starved. They invented
makroskop threw its discovery. Land became the network of the aqueous
channels, and ocean into the thoroughly planned plantation. Those, who not could
to pay off with the debts, they clogged, those, whom did not succeed in dostich' the success in
life, we could live several years in the world of rich, after placing its own
meat. This was the fashionable and pleasant method of suicide, and now about forty
the percentages of population they satisfied their suicidal instinctby the similar
by means. But the level of birth rate, supported by decent medicine and
by the boredom of life, everything grew. The collapse of the irreplaceable resources began.
but - why they did not check an increase in the population? - asked willow. -
They dispatch to certain loss. It is possible indeed it was to decrease the level of birth rate,
for this there was entire necessary.
- A why people do not decrease their level?

 

[Gelion]

Willow thought above this and decided not to answer.
- on the following night to me dreamed sleep, - said Brad, without removing
helmet, although it was no longer necessary to it. In it it resembled newcomer from
space, and this means did not tally to its words. - I stood at the mountain peak
and it admired the creations of man on the Earth and in space,
when suddenly he saw
test. It was masculine sex, enormous, very old, - on the whole,
ugly. It stood on the heap of repulsions and looked at me. Then it jumped
in the heap of mud, after pouring me by drops, and I started back. It raised its trunk and
zakhokhotal - this was the inexpressible sound, it seemed many discordant
pipes they roar everywhere. First I thought, what it amuses my form -
pryamokhodyashchiy on two feet, that, what we count as the sign of the highest essences.
Then it seemed me, that it laughs above entire humanity, above our
by peace. Listening to reelings of laughter, I understood, he wants to say to me what: "we passed
this way, and here already we are not. Now your turn - but you are too foolish,
in order to extract lesson from our history, which we to you so clearly presented ". 4
he wanted to answer, to object to it, but i became here clearly, that already too
it is late.
- it is too late?
- look to the data of statistics, Willow. It was in the times of Christ on the Earth
fourth of billion people. Now so many in the United States, and they are small
they are populated in comparison with many countries. The population of the Earth grows s
by record speed, and the associated diseases at the same time are widened:
criminality, hunger, the dissatisfaction of masses. If our forecasts are accurate, and they
rather they are conservative, - that through one generation will begin the end of the light. We s
still let us see him with you, unfortunately, at the old age.
- the end of the light? And we will see it, in spite of the might of reason and
the progress in THE XXI century?
- this is unavoidable. You saw this based on the example of probov. It stands only
to glance at our peace through makroskop, - the entire countries are converted in the ghetto.
Pover' to me, Willow, that, which occurs now, it is simply terrible. You read
the "moderate proposal" of Swift?
- listen to, Brad, 4 not professors. 4 I do not know, you tend to what.
- willow, 4 I do not demonstrate my erudition. But to invent something more terrible
it is not easy. Jonathan Swift in the witty form proposed plan, on which
excess children in Ireland had to go into the food. Bitter irony in that, that
it described entire sufficiently accurately. Here is the quotation: "year old, the ukhozhennyy child
it is very tasty, useful and healthy food - in the stewed,
fried or boiled form..."now these words relate to us. Swift
it would overturn in to coffin, if would learn this. He asserted, that similar
measure will decrease the population, - and Ireland by that time was already
it is overpopulated, - will make possible to poor parents although something to selland
to reduce expenditures for the content of family.
Willow perceived to the pain familiar tinglings in the stomach and thejoints.
- it is concrete, you saw what.
- similar has already been created in the ghetto of the overpopulatedcountries. For each
head is paid reward, depending on size and health statuses
individual. Some organs are sold to hospitals on the black market -
heart, kidney, lungs and so on, first of all that, who not too
it is interested in source. The blood pumps out itself completely and it is sold on
to auction basis to users. Meat grinds to the stuffing for
gamburgerov, in order to hide his origin, together with...
- you do speak about THE BABIES?
- yes, on the human children. Adult bodies to more dangerously obtain, moreover
there are many defective. True, there is a small market for the sale of the bodies of all
ages. The majorities of children steal, but they themselves sell some
the despairing themselves parents. This is cheaper, than abortion. Present course kolebletsya from
hundred to thousand of dollars for the head, depending on region. This
actually best output for many families, by which not under the force
to feed one additional mouth; you do not envy to this life. Well and, certainly, they
nothing they will obtain, if they steal their child.
- 4 I cannot believe, Brad. Only not cannibalism.
- I saw this, Willow. In makroskop. 4 anything could make, since
everything deny any will government, and the charges of this type can
to generally cross entire program of macro-falcon. People want to have right on
self-deception, especially if truth is nightmarish. But 4 you it already told, that in
the following generation cannibalism will be legal institute, as in
the civilization of probov. Proposal no longer moderated.
- 4 I do not understand, why that, which happened of the tests, must happen
with us? Danger exists, it is agreeable, but really everything is so endless?
Only therefore, what to the tests it did not transport?
The hands Of brada began to move above the control panel. Willow noted, that
equipment for obtaining the makronnogo image is sufficiently simple, the rest
part, apparently, it was used for other studies. Picture
it changed.
- you is too subjective, - said Brad, - look to this.
On the screen there was angelic gumanoidnoye face of femaleindividual, very
dear. Large eyes of golden color, small tender mouth. Hair-do,
consisting of greenish that whether hair, that whether of feathers, softly it harmonized
by the calm features of face. Silk dress covered ordered body, but on
to the outlines of willows it concluded, that this was the body mammal. It seemed that
terrestrial woman, after being freed from not very aesthetical biological
functions, it became some ephemeral essence.
This was picture.
Brad decreased an increase, and in the sequence frame appeared,
then column and the arch of elegant construction. Museum, bright and wide,
elevated by brilliant architect.
- they are reasonable, they are civilized, they are excellent, - muttered willow. - A where living
representatives?
- on the planet To mbsleti no one lives. This is royal tomb,
how we can judge; one of few, located it is sufficient
it is deep, in order to survive.
- to survive?
The agitated sea of mud and naked shore suddenly appeared. Willow almost
felt the stench of the smoky atmosphere.
- total pollution. We made analysis of water, soil, air - everything
artificial. They burn depending on machines and no longer they could
to check an increase in the chemical and nuclear withdrawals. Guess, where they took
meat not long before its finale? This only accelerated their extinction.
The image of court lady again appeared, but in the willows before the eyes
the killed peace still stood.
- all this therefore, what they did spend too much resources? - asked willow, not
expecting answer. - they could not stop, before them did stop nature?
- it rocked by head. - as long ago?
- forty thousand years ago.
- it is good, - said willow, without surrendering. - this two examples. But is there
still?
- here one more. - Brad conducted adjustments, and it appeared before them
the destroyed city. It appeared after a certain time between the heaps of fragments
four-footed urodets. The jumbled hair shut face, it went, relying on
the phalanx of those bent it is finger. "as gorilla", - thought willow. Essence appeared
by patient and hungry.
- how it is possible to judge, the collapse of civilization began five hundred years
back. Population decreased from ten billion to less than million, and
everything decreases. But there is by them nevertheless something, medicine, naturally,
it is absent. Vegetation disappeared.
Willow did not begin to ask, was this bent urodets the descendant
civilized race. Obviously, it was once pryamokhodyashchim.
Certainly, three examples still solve nothing. Deviations are possible. But k
to it involuntary sneaked thought, that the man can become the fourth
by deviation.

 

[GerrardCapashen]

I hate sci-fi books or movies with enviromentalist undertones.

Look at Independence Day.

Yeah, those damn environmentalists are always trying to subliminally influence us into giving up our rightfully gluttonous consumption of resources.

And how was Independence Day environmentalistic? It ended up with most of the world in ruins. The reason the humans killed the aliens wasn't because they were stripping all of the resources from planets, it was because they were threatening human survival.

 

[cgannon64]

The reason the humans killed the aliens wasn't because they were stripping all of the resources from planets, it was because they were threatening human survival.

There is a reason they gave them a resource-depleted backstory, rather than simply make them angry warmongering aliens.

(Btw, the guy who directed that also dired The Day After Tomorrow. All I'm saying is, sneaking in subliminal messages is annoying and preachy.)

 

[PantheraTigris2]

There are much bigger threats to civilization, methinks...

Like last year, in July, when an asteroid passed between the Earth and the Moon, and astrologers didn't even know it until about a week afterwards.

...or, at any time, we could have another catastrophic earthquake, coupled with cataclysmic volcanic eruptions - which the Earth has every 10-20 thousand years or so, which would certainly 'change the world as we know it."

Ever wonder why it was called the 'Dark Ages'? Because it really was dark for several years, after a giant volcanic eruption darkened the sky. People thought the world was ending. That was nothing, compared to what happens regularly - in the grand scheme of Earth's history.

There's plenty of bigger things to worry about - than merely our oil reserves.

That is, if you worry. Personally, I don't. But that doesn't mean I'm naive.

 

[Fifty]

I think any sort of conjecture into the future of humanity is pretty meaningless. It's fun to hypothesize about the end of the world, but the world as we know it could be so drastically different in as little as 100 years that it is in my opinion impossible to tell whether or not our pollution will kill us. The greatest step for huminity would definitely be to get away from dependancy on fossil fuels.

A subsidiary question:
Suppose we discover an alternative source of energy that is renewable, clean, and just as cost-efficient as fossil-fuels. How long do you suppose it would be before said source was fully implemented in places like the USA, Europe, China, etc.?

 

[Yuri2356]

Overpopulation: Myth, there is no overpopulation, because all statistics that predict it fail to recognize changing features of population growth, it slows, stops, some times regresses, they also fail to realize that as our population grows, so does are ability to have that population level continue and grow, in fact resources are now MORE abundant per person worldwide than they have been at any time in history. If you need proof look around your neighborhood, and see if anyone is living in a wood hut. The more people we get, the better off we become, more technology gets developed, more resources discovered and exploited as they should be. This will never change.

Not according to Biology. Though it is true that we have aquired the ability to increase the plant productivity of the Earth a great deal, it will hit a limit. Once the Earth is supporting the maximum possible plant Biomass, the animal populations will banance out to relfect the availible energy. Right now our species is in a state of (almost) exponetial growth, we are thriving in our ecosystem and there is nothing stopping us from reproducing at insane rates. Assuming this growth continues unchecked, we will surpass the Earth's ability to support us (Carrying Capacity) and begin a sharp population decline, followed by progressivly less extreme instances of Growth/Death untill the population levels out at out CC. Hopefully, we'll be able to controll our growth so we reach Earth's capacity without haveing to go though this turbulant phase. Luckily, as you've stated, the world is already taking huge steps towards controlling population growth.

 

[Quasar1011]

The world will never end for a LONG time . The sun will eat the planet earth by the time we colonize part of the Milky Way .

That's not going to happen. Planet Earth will always be here. Always! Even in a 100 billion years!

 

[The Last Conformist]

A hundred billion years? Yeah, it's quite possible the (horribly cold) Earth will then still orbit the (very dead) Sun. But it's equally possible (can't offhand say whether more likely) it's been ripped out of orbit by a stellar encounter, and either been thrown out into interstellar space, or sent crashing on one of the stars. And if it doesn't get disturbed that way, it'll be ejected or crashed into the Sun by dynamical relaxation 'tween the bodies of the solar system. If ejected, and assuming it doesn't crash into something else, it'll eventually evaporate by proton decay (on a time-scale on which 100 billion years is as nothing). Meanwhile, the universe will slide asymptotically towards an unimaginably cold heat death.

The world will end.

 

[PlutonianEmpire]

Yeah, there's also the "big rip" theory, where, in 20 billion years, the universe will literally rip itself apart. 3 months before the end, solar systems will fly apart, and, in the final moments, when the universe breathes its last breath, the earth will fly apart.

EDIT: Unless, of course, we find a way to transport Earth to another universe.