How much time is Left?

[gosuflashman]

With the first Chinese person to enter space today, It got me thinking. How long does humanity have left? With all the problems, pollution, starvation, the HEAVY use of a limited fuel for our needs (oil) and no where to run when the **** hits the fan, how long is it until humans are eradicated?
Personally I think that we have about 150 years left. No real sense to this number, but it seems like a good estimate.
That is, in my opinion, unless we can somehow get to the stars, or develop fusion power. If man could start populating planets, even just in our solar system, using different means, then we might just have a chance to scrape by. What would be left after a long time living in these different environments would certainly not be human, but close enough for me.

Anyway thats a huge ramble, sorta got me down too :
Whats everyone elses thoughts?

 

[ainwood]

What is it? "Necessity is the mother of invention".

 

[Bud2998]

Humanity will probably manage to find a way to get by somehow. Always have, always will. Whatever is left of earth isn't my problem, so long as I'm either dead already or living away from the planet.

 

[smalltalk]

Humankind is like a weed that wont be rooted out completely, however hard they try. If they should ever vanish it would be just to make room for trans-humanity or however you want to call it...

 

[Civrules]

I donno what will be left of natural resources and all but I can tell you one thing: People are changing for the worse, not the better. You can feel it.

 

[Azale]

Ahh, in about 100 years we'll have a functioning laser (to shoot rouge asteroids) and hydrogen/fission power will be the norm.

But until then, keep praying.

 

[Shadylookin]

i dont' think humans are going anywhere soon, I don't think any asteroids are in close proximity, and humans killing each other with a nuclear war doesn't seem likely now, and about the only thing mother nature can do to us now is more just an inconvinence rather than threaten our entire spieces. I'd say we have a good long while at least a couple thousand years

 

[tonberry]

Starvation: we, the humanity, have seen worse.

Oil: even if oil reserves are depleted tomorrow, this won't be a catastrophe, only a big change in how the society run.

Pollution: could be a problem yes. It could kill many people but not our entire race.

 

[Mescalhead]

I'd love for somebody to offer me a plausable scenario that could spell out the doom of the human species.

As of right now, where we are technology-wise, this is impossible.

 

[Double Barrel]

Yeah, I don't think we are going anywhere anytime soon.

The fact is that our perception of our alleged "destruction" of our living environment will slowly but surely change the way we do business over the long run. I will not be surprised if we are completely off of our dependence on fossil fuels in 50 years.

And I think population growth will slow down and stabilize itself over time, as our ability to educate everyone will become easier and easier with modern technology. And with education comes inter-dependence and smaller family units.

 

[Richard III]

Come on, you've seen "Lost in Space." You know what happens.

 

[Vietcong]

1000 years give or take

 

[cgannon64]

From farthest endpoint to nearest:

1) Universe going into the Big Crunch or the Big Freeze. (Probably the only one that cannot be beaten by science.)
2) Sun dying out. (We could beat this.)
3) Natural resources dying out. (We could beat this.)
4) Nuclear armageddon. (Lets hope not...)

 

[Mopheo]

Think about it, a single case of a suitcase nuke, or some mistake with a countries nukes could lead to a WW3. Then there's North Korea which might want to "take over the world", or use nuclear blackmail. Thats just with current technology. Replicating nanomachines could wipe out a bioshpere if they could be shielded from EMP blasts.
Out of control, crazily mutating virsuses could lead to a combination of strains that wipes out much or all of humanity.
As an individuals power through technology grows in comparision the the whole, all kinds of havoc could be reaked by intelligent "terrorists".

Then theres the whole envoronmental thing, and then theres the upgraded humanity, through either electronics, or genetics.

I doubt that the human race as we know it will be around in 100 years, at least assuing the current pace of research.

 

[Perfection]

415 years 3 months 15 days 2 hours and 3.74143659 seconds

 

[Esckey]

23rd of December, 2098.


I say the only thing we truly have to worry about is a rouge asteroid or comet. Pretty much everything else we will over come, even WW3.

Well it's either that or this is all someone's dream and he/she wakes up

 

[Quasar1011]

Good news! According to the Bible, mankind will be around forever!

I know that some of you have concerns.

Originally posted by cgannon64
From farthest endpoint to nearest:
1) Universe going into the Big Crunch or the Big Freeze. (Probably the only one that cannot be beaten by science.)
2) Sun dying out. (We could beat this.)
3) Natural resources dying out. (We could beat this.)

All of these assume that the current laws of the universe will continue, without alteration. God says he will alter them, and make a new heavens and earth.

Originally posted by cgannon64
4) Nuclear armageddon. (Lets hope not...)

Jesus will come back at the height of such a nuclear armageddon, win the battle, and institute world peace.

This is why I am an optimist!

 

[Riesstiu IV]

The sun will not die for billions of years. If we got hit by an asteroid it would have to be fairly large, something the size of Texas. I think that would kill of a lot of the population. Nuclear war? Everybody is scared if killing each other off. I do believe there is a good chance of mass-death in the future... but humans will survive. There are billions of roaches, and they have survived through countless earth-shattering catastrophes. There are six billion of us... I think we have a good chance of survival!

My question is, what version of civ will they have in 2098?

 

[cgannon64]

All of these assume that the current laws of the universe will continue, without alteration. God says he will alter them, and make a new heavens and earth.

Where does it say that? Doesn't it just say that he will come for the second time, and he will end our world and create his final Kingdom? And remember, this kingdom doesn't have to be in our universe...

 

[History_Buff]

Human civilization will be around for a VERY long time to come. Even with all the polution, its nto quite deadly. Even if the developed world self-destructs, there are races that have lived in the Jungles forever, and will continue to do so, blissfully un-aware of the modern world around them.