Can the human race survive the next 100 years?

[Mark]

We're all going to die in December 2012. That is if the LHC doesn't suck us all into a black hole first. It's already malfunctioned twice - we're all doomed.

Anyway, to take this seriously, you're asking the wrong question. The human race will survive. The question you should have asked is whether the human race will survive in a way we can recognise today. That is certainly debateable.

[Pumpkinstew]

Yeah, the human race will survive 100 years. Homo Sapiens is very unlikely to become extinct in such a short time period.

I think the question you meant to ask is 'Can human society as we know it continue for the next 100 years?' in which case the answer is no as it is constantly evolving and will be more different in 2108 than 2008 is from 1908.
Or possibly you meant to ask 'Can the human race continue to grow at it's current exponential rate and consume resources for the next 100 years without some kind of disastrous upheaval?'

Originally Posted by Ravenlord

very little of note occured between the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the Renaissance, Age of Exploration and the Industrial Revolution

You serious?

EDIT: Mark, I clearly think like you but don't type as fast.

[Pumpkinstew]

Originally Posted by loki

Anyway i'm with the Mayans. They predicted all of the current worldy up heaval. Don't worry it's all due to end this November. I'm not sure if thats a good or a bad thing though

I've put it in my Outlook diary.
November1st-30th - Armageddon - Show time as Busy - reminder 15minutes before

[Jingo]

Originally Posted by Pickers

In this respect, rather than looking at apparently more doom and gloom, I think there is actually an expanding continuum ranging from humanity's intolerance of each other to its ability to work united and break down barriers..

I agree with this man. It is so quick and easy to notice a negative, yet the positives are often overlooked, easily dismissed or taken for granted.

I believe in a positive outlook anyway as I don't like moping!

[Blighter]

We'll be OK Ravenlord.. our type know how to survive

[iCraig]

Originally Posted by Ravenlord

Take for example terrorism. It would take only one act, one device with a high enough casualty list, to spark a war on the middle east so great in scale that nuclear weapons would almost certainly be used.

Terrorism, despite a global threat is still a long way away from causing our extinction. So far, the greatest terrorist attacks have only claimed thousands of lives. Horrible to say it, but, that's small fry. They aren't making a dent, not a long term one in the great scheme of things, never have, never will. Hopefully, as mankind progresses, religion will one day die out anyway and we'll grow out of killing ourselves over contradictions in dusty old books.

Originally Posted by Ravenlord

Nature is fighting back for our past mistakes. Crops are failing. Bees are disappearing. The world is getting warmer.

All problems that can be solved if/when required. Crops failing? Well, at the moment, despite obvious moral objections, the world's food crisis doesn't threaten the majority or western world. Rest assured when/if it does, solutions would be made. Vertical farming is one idea already posed.

Originally Posted by Ravenlord

Oil is running out; it is the world's most precious resource and a major world war over energy can no longer be resigned to the realms of fiction.

Running out is an ambiguous term because not many people understand how much we've used and how much they're is. We'll never run out of oil, and by that I mean we'll have moved onto developed alternatives before we use up every drop, simply when oil becomes more expensive than the alternatives. What are the alternatives you ask? Well it's early days yet, our oil based economy has plenty of life in it yet, including an inevitable development of a viable renewable alternative. Nuclear, hydrogen, cold fusion. Something totally unheard of yet? Who knows? Currently there's no real interest, because oil is just too cheap and too plentiful for people to care.

Originally Posted by Ravenlord

Relations between nuclear-capable nations are deteriorating. The most obvious example is the west and Russia. Are we heading for another cold war?

Possibly and possibly not. Cold wars do not equal nuclear war either. Russia and the US/UK/UN are all too aware of the lose-lose scenario of full scale global thermo-nuclear war, and that is what would be required to wipe humanity off the planet. Even rogue states such as Iran launching a nuke, huge global news and say goodbye to Iran, but say goodbye to the entire world? No chance.

Originally Posted by Ravenlord

The Balkans are coming apart at the seams. Turmoil in the region is what led to the First World War. We've already seen with the Georgian crisis that old quarrels still persist, and sides will inevitably be taken between countries that could blast each other into the stoneage.

Those world wars didn't end the world though? They led to huge debts and loss of life, but again in the grand scheme of things, drop in the ocean. Plus, they also in fact help paved the way, such as atomic research and development. A third world war would obviously involve bigger weapons, perhaps nukes, but again, you really need a massive holocaust to see the end of the world. I don't think any state on the planet has the ability, financially, politically, tactically, and morally to even concieve that.

[Metalface Mark]

Originally Posted by Ravenlord

It was on a documentary, might well have been 'In the shadow of the moon'. It is an interesting thought considering how technologically advanced the Romans were for their time, they swept across Europe like a plague, and how very little of note occured between the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the Renaissance, Age of Exploration and the Industrial Revolution that followed due to the actions of an antagonistic Christian church that oppressed scientific advancement for centuries.

It wasnt on that documentary.

[Ravenlord]

Originally Posted by Pumpkinstew

Yeah, the human race will survive 100 years. Homo Sapiens is very unlikely to become extinct in such a short time period.

I think the question you meant to ask is 'Can human society as we know it continue for the next 100 years?' in which case the answer is no as it is constantly evolving and will be more different in 2108 than 2008 is from 1908.
Or possibly you meant to ask 'Can the human race continue to grow at it's current exponential rate and consume resources for the next 100 years without some kind of disastrous upheaval?'

Perhaps, but it's not quite as succinct, or dramatic...

You serious?

They don't call it the dark ages for nothing. Most historians consider the Middle Ages as having been a step back on the evolutionary path.

[Pumpkinstew]

Originally Posted by Ravenlord

They don't call it the dark ages for nothing. Most historians consider the Middle Ages as having been a step back on the evolutionary path.

In Europe maybe it was the dark ages but in the Middle East, China and South America there were blossoming civillisations creating works of literature, architecture and philosophy.


Also your post said 'very little of note occurred'. Britain was subject to three major invasions in that time period - each of which left an indelible mark on the English language and cultural heritage of the British people.
Surely this is 'noteworthy'.

[Ravenlord]

Originally Posted by Pumpkinstew

In Europe maybe it was the dark ages but in the Middle East, China and South America there were blossoming civillisations creating works of literature, architecture and philosophy.


Also your post said 'very little of note occurred'. Britain was subject to three major invasions in that time period - each of which left an indelible mark on the English language and cultural heritage of the British people.
Surely this is 'noteworthy'.

I was referring to technological advancement.