Difference between revisions of "Survival of our species/Risks to humanity"

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[[Image:Impact event.jpg|120px|right]]
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[[Image:Impact event.jpg|180px|right|Asteroid strike to Earth]]
Major potential threats to humanity:
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Some potential threats to humanity:
  
*'''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impact_event Strike by asteroid or comet]'''. Possible at any time. Accepted in scientific community as not an 'if' but a 'when'.
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*'''[[Emergent virulent disease]]''' {{en}} naturally occurring / engineered biological weapon / lab-experiment let loose (accidentally or maliciously). Possible at any time.
*'''Genetically engineered biological weapon or lab-experiment''' let loose (accidentally or maliciously). Possible at any time.
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*Out of control '''self-replicating {{wp|Molecular_nanotechnology|molecular nanotechnology}}''' (accidental or malicious). Underlying technology is perhaps 15 years away<sup>*</sup>.
*'''Out of control self-replicating molecular nanotechnology''' (accidental or malicious). Underlying technology is perhaps 15 years away.
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*Out of control '''artificial intelligence'''. Underlying technology is perhaps 20 years away<sup>*</sup>.
*'''Out of control artificial intelligence'''. Underlying technology is perhaps 20 years away.
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*'''{{wp|Impact_event|Strike by asteroid or comet}}'''. Possible at any time. Accepted in scientific community as not an 'if' but a 'when'.
*'''Global war with nuclear or other advanced weaponry''' . Possible at any time.
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**NASA link: [http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/risk/]
*'''Increasingly powerful particle accelerators'''. Some physicist think we have already created phenomena similar to black holes [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4357613.stm], although theorists believe these pose no risk as they evaporate extremely quickly. Although the very reason people are doing these experiments is because we do not precisely know how nature behaves at these extremely high energies. Possible at any time.
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**Stanford lecture on our preparedness: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVwRsAltFDw
*'''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_volcano Super-volcanic geological activity]'''. Not sure if the risks are known.
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*'''Global war with nuclear or other advanced weaponry'''. Possible at any time.
*'''Climate change'''. It is more likely to affect other species that do not have the means to adapt first. But if it gets to the point where it affects species we rely on for our own survival then we will be at risk. Possible in the near future.
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*'''{{wp|Super_volcano|Super-volcanic geological activity}}'''. Not sure that the risks are known.
  
It sounds a bit grim reading through this list, and people naturally tend not to think much about these things, but with awareness of the problems and precautionary measures, these scenarios can be mitigated to a certain extent, but [[colonising Space]] is the ultimate insurance policy, and it needs to happen before it is too late. <noinclude>{{refresh|Survival of our species}}</noinclude>
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<small>''*It is impossible to accurately know when technology might actually reach this level''</small>
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A note about '''climate change''' that some people may consider a threat to humanity: this is certainly something that would (and does) affect other species that do not have the means to adapt, but it would not necessarily risk our own survival. We would likely always be able to engineer environments where plants and animals that we rely on, could live. It is obviously a terrible thing to knowingly continue to alter the balance of the environment and we must do everything with in our power to reduce our impact as soon as possible, which the main concepts in this website would be capable of addressing.
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[[Image:Meteor crater.jpg|180px|right|Meteor Crater, Arizona]]
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It sounds a bit grim reading about these things, and most people naturally tend not to give them too much thought, but with awareness of the problems and precautionary measures, these scenarios can be mitigated to a certain extent. [[Colonising Space]] is the ultimate insurance policy for humanity, and it needs to happen before it is too late. Leaving it up to bureaucratic, ponderous government programs is not enough.

Latest revision as of 16:27, 6 March 2014

Asteroid strike to Earth

Some potential threats to humanity:

*It is impossible to accurately know when technology might actually reach this level

A note about climate change that some people may consider a threat to humanity: this is certainly something that would (and does) affect other species that do not have the means to adapt, but it would not necessarily risk our own survival. We would likely always be able to engineer environments where plants and animals that we rely on, could live. It is obviously a terrible thing to knowingly continue to alter the balance of the environment and we must do everything with in our power to reduce our impact as soon as possible, which the main concepts in this website would be capable of addressing.

Meteor Crater, Arizona

It sounds a bit grim reading about these things, and most people naturally tend not to give them too much thought, but with awareness of the problems and precautionary measures, these scenarios can be mitigated to a certain extent. Colonising Space is the ultimate insurance policy for humanity, and it needs to happen before it is too late. Leaving it up to bureaucratic, ponderous government programs is not enough.