How much longer do we have?

[gavroche]

Are homo sapiens in danger of becoming extinct within the next 500 years? According to professor Stephen Hawkins, we are in great danger of being responsible for our own demise through pollution, excess use of the earth's resources, chemical or atomic warfare, population growth, etc.... The future for mankind looks certainly very insecure.

 

[FishFright]

Extinct ? Probably not because as a species we are incredibly resourceful . But I think its probably way too late for us to be able to carry on this myth of infinite growth and must have new stuff and still have a planet in anything like a decent state. Tipping point passed a while ago.

For example http://www.iflscience.com/environment/earths-oceans-choking-death-thanks-pollution-climate-change/

 

[gavroche]

Extinct ? Probably not because as a species we are incredibly resourceful . But I think its probably way too late for us to be able to carry on this myth of infinite growth and must have new stuff and still have a planet in anything like a decent state. Tipping point passed a while ago.

For example http://www.iflscience.com/environment/earths-oceans-choking-death-thanks-pollution-climate-change/

I agree with you but the capitalist system we are part of is based on growth so unless we find a new way of running society together, there isn't much hope.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

I'm just heading out to the rugby, I hope we make it to at least half time so I can have a pie

 

[winjim]

He does know a lot about shellfish, I guess.

 

[Markymark]

We’ll wipe ourselves out for sure within the next few thousand years. I am certain that a species capable of destroying either themselves or their environment won’t keep it contained fir long.

The interesting thought is that it takes that sort of mindset to become this advanced. That means that only a species that selfish and dominant can become that sophisticated. Any species that don’t possess those traits will stay as animals not further advanced than apes.

This is why we’ll never see aliens. The blip of their existence is vanishingly small. The chances of two coinciding is next to zero.

 

[subaqua]

Or the chosen few will survive . Whereas the rest will be deleted ... by the cyber men

 

[Beebo]

This is why we’ll never see aliens. The blip of their existence is vanishingly small. The chances of two coinciding is next to zero.

correct, a few hundred million years here or there and we miss each other entirely. There are probably many empires in other galaxies that have risen and fallen that will never be known about.

I imagine modern humans as we know them will last 10,000 years from 5,000BC -5,000AD, and i would be surprised if they get that far. That is just a blink of an eye in the life of the universe.

 

[Markymark]

correct, a few hundred million years here or there and we miss each other entirely. There are probably many empires in other galaxies that have risen and fallen that will never be known about.

I imagine modern humans as we know them will last 10,000 years from 5,000BC -5,000AD, and i would be surprised if they get that far. That is just a blink of an eye in the life of the universe.

They reckon it’ll only take 500-800 years and there’d be no trace of us if we’re wiped out.

 

[gavroche]

They reckon it’ll only take 500-800 years and there’d be no trace of us if we’re wiped out.

Some buildings may survive , only stone ones though.

 

[MontyVeda]

They reckon it’ll only take 500-800 years and there’d be no trace of us if we’re wiped out.

there'll be plastic... lots of plastic

 

[Markymark]

Some buildings may survive , only stone ones though.

Nah. They suggest anything new and concrete might last 3-4 hundred. The most likely are much older (Middle Ages) concrete as that was much stronger. Even then though around 800 years and everythubg is grown over. Possibly a few ancient remains if you dig deep enough.

 

[cyberknight]

The vogons will destroy the planet to make a hyperspace bypass before then anyway .

 

[BoldonLad]

optimistic lot on here, aren't you?

 

[petek]

As a paid up member of the League of Pragmatic Optimists one suspects that Professor Hawking will not be applying to join any time soon.