What will be the end of humanity?

[Globex]

What do you think will be the most likely cause of the collapse of human civilization?

I think it would be environmental destruction. We would damage the environment to the point that the earth can no longer provide the resources to sustain human civilization leading to economic collapse and social disorder.

Sorry there are so few options in the poll. I couldn't really think of any more to put up there.

 

[TheLastOne36]

Pandemic.


"Look! i infected everyone in Canada!"

 

[Gigaz]

Environment is unpropable, because many species take advantage from humen. Pandemic is even more unpropable. Usually an illness is only deadly when it spreads quite slowly, infects only the weak or has a long incubation time.

Humanity is pretty difficult to kill, so I voted eternal.

 

[Erik Mesoy]

Other: we make successors who aren't human.

 

[Angst]

Birth of Perfection.



Too late, duh.

 

[Arwon]

Heat death of the universe?

 

[Echse]

when the milkyway collides with andromeda.

 

[Ramius75]

pandemic created by aliens.

 

[Swargey]

Seems far more likely we'll destroy ourselves via global war....so yeah...I voted for war.

 

[philippe]

When the horde will be mobilised in the daisy hill puppy farm.

Or perhaps when Perfection has finished his giant death robot.

 

[Fronx]

OP should have defined more precisely, what he means with "human civilization". It is extremely unlikely that war or pandemia or environmental collapse or volcanoes will kill 100% EVERY human. But ofcourse that does not constitute as civilization, I quess civilization requires some "culture" atleast...

I quess OP means something in the lines that the way of life changes so radically, that people can say that "hmmm, as a civilization, we rare survivors of this chaos, are now new civilization, instead of being survivors and continuers of the old civilization".

Dunno, any of those could cause that. But total extermination? Maybe asteroid, if it is big enough.

 

[Winner]

Pandemic is the most realistic choice, since we're speaking about the end of human civilization, not species. Modern global civilization is very fragile, too dependant on technology, trade and certain resources. Strike a blow strong enough and it will collapse like a house of cards.


Anyway...

War

If the nuclear war had not erupted during the Cold War, it will most likely not erupt in the future.

Pandemic

The more people on Earth, the faster and more widespread is the global air travel, the more crowded are the cities in the developing countries, the more likely it is that a deadly virus spreads around the globe before we can stop it. I think it is the most likely "civilization-killer". With only 50% mortality any flu virus would kill more than one third of human population and throw entire continents into chaos.

Asteroid Impact

Potentially very lethal, but also very improbable. Moreover, it's the kind of disaster you can prevent, with the right technology.

Environmental Collapse

What is that?

Alien Invasion

Nonsense.

Climate Change

It would have to be very, very fast, something like "Day after tomorrow", which is full of unscientific nonsense. Climate change is not a rapid process, humans can adjust.

Supervolcanoes

Like the asteoids - potentially very devastating, but also very improbable.

Humanity is eternal

Nothing is eternal.

BTW, what's the difference between "eviromental collapse" and "climate change"?

 

[alcal]

What will be the end of humanity?

Humanity itself.

 

[Arwon]

BTW, what's the difference between "eviromental collapse" and "climate change"?

Could be exhaustion of resources, poisoning of the air, water and soil, destruction of a critical mass of species and thus biodiversity...

 

[Perfection]

A giant thundering fart.

 

[Gooblah]

Grey Goo Hypothesis!

Seriously, the end of humanity (as in the species) is probably not going to occur. We can't evolve out of Homo Sapiens, since we prevent natural selection through the usage of medicine and birthing techniques. We can adapt to climate change. An Asteroid is unlikely. War won't kill everyone, and a nuclear war is extremely unlikely. Sure, there may be a rogue state which launches a nuke at Russia or something, but that rogue's going to be blown to pieces in a day anyways. Done deal. Alien Invasion? Meh. Supervolcanoes? There's potential, and it's likely, but given the timespan until another one occurs, I think we could develop the tech necessary to survive it. Either that, or we'll be spaced so far along in the galaxy we'll be fine.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

If the human race will end it will be because of stupidity.

Not sure what form this will take.

 

[Huayna Capac357]

I think a war and pandemic resulting from environmental collapse triggered in part by climate change .

 

[puglover]

Divine intervention.

 

[Trafalgar]

The death of our sun. We only have five billion years left!