Somehow recently, people began to think especially often that our planet is actually quite fragile. And we (that is, humanity) with our unbridled behavior and ill-considered actions only bring closer every possible hour a “global kapets”.
Indeed, it is our fault that many species of plants and animals disappear, because of us, the areas of once virgin forests are reduced, rivers, lakes and even whole seas are drying up.
It is possible that the number of tornadoes, hurricanes and other natural disasters every year is also growing due to our negative impact on the Earth’s climate.
And if you also remember that for a long time mankind has a weapon that can “put out of brackets” all life on the planet in literally a few minutes ...
There are so many films made over the past 25-30 years on the theme of the possible variants of the Apocalypse, more books have been written (sometimes with a very realistic plot).
And by the way, not only science fiction writers, but also quite serious scientists name at least 10 reasons why people can disappear from the face of the Earth in the next 200-300 years.
10. Aliens
After reading the title of this paragraph, many will smile sarcastically, saying: "The authors have clearly revised Ren-TV." We agree, this reason sounds somehow frivolous. But this is only at first glance.
But in fact, many scientists studying space, quite agree that the likelihood that intelligent life, in addition to ours, still exists somewhere in the Universe, is very high.
And, again, most likely “they” are much more “technologically advanced” than us earthlings.
Such well-known persons in the scientific community as the recently departed Stephen Hawking and the well-functioning Elon Musk have long warned against sending all sorts of Earth messages in the style of “Welcome! Let's be friends!" to search for extraterrestrial intelligence. No matter how “they” really arrived at the call ...
9. Solar storms or gamma-ray bursts
“Actually, solar storms happen all the time,” you say. - "How much we survived them, and nothing terrible has happened so far."
But scientists fully admit that one day our Sun can “kick up” so much that it simply cuts down all the energy systems on Earth (in fact, there have been times more than once or twice when serious flashes on our star “roasted” Earth transformers). And who knows what could happen then, because today we are simply nowhere without electricity. One thing is certain for sure - the damage will be huge.
Another possible “threat from outer space” is a supernova explosion somewhere in our (or neighboring) galaxy. A sharp one-time release of a huge amount of energy can have very negative and long-term consequences for the Earth.
8. Drought and famine
The fact that people today affect nature is very destructive (and this applies not only to large corporations with their huge endearing plants, but to humanity as a whole) is heard literally from every iron.
It got to the point that the climate is changing right before our eyes: in the center of Siberia, there are thaws in winter, and Europe freezes harder every year (snow now even exists in Africa), but in the summer hellish heat is even where it should not be at all.
Deserts are spreading in breadth, forest-steppes are becoming dry steppes, and world fresh water reserves are declining rapidly.
Yes, we are aware that more than 70% of our planet is covered in water. But fresh water in this figure does not exceed 3%. And in many regions of the Earth it is sorely lacking.
And where there is no water, there plants do not grow and animals do not breed: therefore, there is nothing for people to eat. In fact, 800 million out of 7.7 billion people are already starving on Earth right now.
7. Overpopulation coupled with resource depletion
By the way, by the way about the growth of the population of our planet: until the end of the XVIII century. the question of how to support the existence of such a number of people, in principle, was not particularly acute - the Earth could well feed the 1 billion people that lived on it.
But in 1798, the famous book by Thomas Malthus “Essay on the Law of Population” was published, where he expressed the theory that an uncontrolled increase in the number of people will sooner or later lead to global hunger.
By the beginning of the 20th century, there were already 1.5 billion, by 1950 - 2.5 billion, and so far it has become 7.7 billion. That is, over some incomplete 120 years, the world's population has grown by 5 (!) time.
And yes, - in the most developed countries, people are now not very keen on having children, preferring a career or just personal comfort. But the rest of the planet continues to actively proliferate, despite the fact that resources are already not enough for everyone (and over time they will be less and less).
6. Super Collider
Who will argue: the creation of the Large Hadron Collider was a real breakthrough in elementary particle physics. He, of course, will help scientists understand the structure and “principles of action” of our Universe much better.
But even before and after this “hellish machine" was first tested in practice, a lot of controversy circulated around it: they say whether physicists can keep all processes under control and if they accidentally create a miniature black hole right on To the earth?
And actually, in recent times, science has been getting closer and closer to those dangerous borders beyond which the man-made “end of the world” can stand.
5. Biological warfare
Continuing the conversation about science and its achievements. Genetically modified fruits, vegetables, and cereals have long surprised anyone. Cloning has also been tried (and quite successfully).
Biotechnologies are developing so fast now that many scientists (from philosophers to, in fact, biologists themselves) are seriously worried - it is not known what we’ll think of and how to apply the latest discoveries.
After all, mankind (and especially the groups of people managing it) somehow does not differ in either special kindness or meekness: quite the contrary, it is trying to invent more reliable and effective (and, very desirable - quick) ways to destroy a potential adversary.
There are persistent rumors that, for example, tick-borne encephalitis was developed in secret Japanese laboratories during the Second World War, and also that similar experiments with various deadly diseases in the USA (as well as the search for the “most convenient” methods for their spread, including deliberate infection of living people ) have been going on since the beginning of the 20th century, and recently they have become very active.
3. Supermen
By the way, why not at the same time with a completely deliberate “cutting out” of the enemy population engage in genetic “bioprogramming” of their own citizens?
So, for example, they can improve their immunity to the most dangerous viruses (because viruses do not recognize any state borders and, therefore, move freely in any direction), or maybe even artificially increase their intelligence, make their muscles stronger, and bones - strong, etc.
Hmm ... But, quite possibly, there are ways to “program” people and complete loyalty to the government. I wonder if they are still people? ..
3. Cyber Wars
What word do we hear very often in the news lately? Terrorism. They blew up a church or a synagogue, they shot a whole stadium of people here ... It's scary.
But much worse is that, thanks to modern technology, all these (most often fanatically intolerant) psychopaths, outcasts and “protesters” do not even have to be present at the crime scene. It is enough just to press a button on the keyboard to inflict huge and irreparable harm at any particular point on the planet.
You can not only blow up something, but also arrange a transport collapse, or organize financial chaos, turn off electricity and communications, etc. And the greatest horror is that such tactics are already seriously considered as “very good” by entire states ...
2. Antibiotic resistance of viruses
Yes, humanity is evolving (including - already "correcting" this process by artificial methods). Among other things, we invented many drugs for a variety of diseases (and even those that once mowed hundreds of thousands of people in a matter of weeks).
We have strong antibiotics that would seem to be able to cope with any viruses. But the thing is that viruses, as it turns out, are evolving too - and much faster than we could imagine.
And scientists say that we humans are fast approaching the time when our antibiotics will become useless against new mutant viruses. By the way, we are unlikely to have time to develop our own - natural - immunity against them. And then even the commonplace flu will kill us in the millions.
1. Nuclear Armageddon
And finally, in the light of, so to speak, recent events in the world (we mean the increasingly threatening “rattling” of the most dangerous types of weapons, including nuclear, as well as its ubiquitous distribution): who will guarantee that one is far from beautiful day any pompous and self-confident idiot who has seized power has not pressed the notorious “red button”? Given that the “otvetka” will not keep itself waiting, humanity will “end” on this ...