What do you think will cause the end of the world?

I think humanity is so ingrained into the world now that we will be a permanent feature, especially with all our technology.
 
Well I don't think all life will be gone from the Earth until the sun expands and fries everything in a couple billion years.

As far as human life we're going to kill ourselves off somehow, or at least the majority of ourselves. I'd think some kind of weapon, though maybe not nuclear because I don't think they're powerful enough yet. We'll go through another few centuries developing some new weapons and eventually get one that is so deadly that one use of it kills basically everybody.

So yeah, I didn't pick anything on the poll...
 
Looking at the list of choices, I think you meant "what will bring life as we know it, to an end?" ..but even that question is very open to interpretation (especially for those darned literalists.) How about:

"How will the Apocalypse arrive?"

If that were the question, I would cast my vote for nuclear warfare, as incited by religious fanaticism (which would coincide with the decay of society.) Come to think of it, I guess that might well give a helluva boost to global warming, and also give rise to rampant disease and famine.

I'm like a kid in a candy store. I want it all. I'll take all of those horrifying elements, in one gruesome, world-wide firestorm of agony and suffering, thankyouverymuch.
 
[quote name='The Crotch']I'm kinda with SpazX. I'm with the dark horse candidate here - the Sun.[/QUOTE]
I figure, by that point, we'll have either up and left the Earth or we'd be able to do something about the sun's expansion.
 
You ever watch Red Vs Blue, RBM? You reminded me of one time-travelling character attempting to explain to another why they hadn't found any living creatures at that point. As I remember it... a massive nuclear war destroyed a top-secret biological weapons facility, spreading disease across the land. Those killed by the plague later rose from the dead to feast on the survivors. The planet was eventually bombarded by meteors carrying a bacteria that fed on zombies.

[quote name='Liquid 2']I figure, by that point, we'll have either up and left the Earth or we'd be able to do something about the sun's expansion.[/quote]Guile specifically said life on Earth, so leaving the planet doesn't really change things. Doing something about the Sun's expansion? Eh, I dunno.

EDIT: I guess you could say I'm in the "global warming" camp, albeit on a slightly larger scale.
 
[quote name='The Crotch']Guile specifically said life on Earth, so leaving the planet doesn't really change things. Doing something about the Sun's expansion? Eh, I dunno.[/QUOTE]I go a bit insane when it comes to the possibilities of technology. :lol:

The only way I can think of that we could save the sun is by refueling it. Where the hydrogen would come from, and how we would transport it and put it in the sun? No idea.
 
I'm torn between Zombies and Bush.

God help us if Bush becomes a Zombie, then not even Dick Cheney could stop him!

~HotShotX
 
[quote name='Liquid 2']I figure, by that point, we'll have either up and left the Earth or we'd be able to do something about the sun's expansion.[/quote]
Well by that point my money is on people having been completely wiped out as a species, most likely because of something we did to ourselves. Since it would be pretty much impossible for humans to re-evolve, unless there is a small group of people that survive each time we kill ourselves off (it's a llloooonnnggg time), there won't be any left by the time the sun expands and fries any remaining life.

There could possibly be some kind of intelligent species that's perhaps in a humanoid form, but yeah, no humans.
 
Lets see

Global Warming: It's a progressive long term effect. It will trigger a massive affect on our food supplies that will lead to higher prices and starvation to less developed countries.

Religious Fanaticism: Nah

Nuclear Warfare: Limited regional warfare, either in the Middle East or in East Asia. Fallout as a result of even a few over land detonations will affect other countries including ours. Results will vary based on type of fallout.

Depletion of oil supplies: A good possibility of war for control over oil producing hot spots if middle eastern countries and other oil producing nations continue to raise prices and limit our supplies. We already have a strong presence in the middle east, but that's gonna piss off a lot of other countries when we go in first.

Disease: Anything is possible.

Famine: ?

Extra-terrestrials: Nah.. you watch to many movies. They rather take our planet's resources then to destroy us to get it.

Meteor or comet hitting the earth: Always a strong possibility, but don't expect Bruce Willis and his gang of Rednecks to save our ass on that one.

Decay of society as we know it: *see youtube videos of people waiting in line during the launch of the PS3/Wii*

New Ice Age: Only after the Meteor or Nuclear war occurs.
 
[quote name='The Crotch']You ever watch Red Vs Blue, RBM? [/quote]
Yes, I have, although I do not recognize that reference to time travel vs. doomsday scenarios you mentioned. The only two Red vs. Blue quotes that I remember are:

"What do you mean...like..a blue spider? Get it off!"

and

"Why are there 6 pedals, when there are only 4 directions?!"

:lol:
 
i plan to get out of nyc in about 6 years.. once i finish college. if anything happens, nyc will be the first on the list. always remember that.
 
were talking about the end of life, not the end of the planet right?

well im gonna have to say nukes or the decay of society.

edit, my money is on the cosmic alignment in 2012.
 
I think its likely oil running out with start a decay of good ol fashion Christian morals will lead to a rash of radical religious moments that will blossom into thermo nuclear war subsequently causing a new ice age in which famine and disease will run rampant.

Any passing ET's will say "fuck that noise" and throw a comet off course to put us out of our misery.
 
My guess is some highly contagious disease will wipe us out before we get a chance to find a cure. Something airborne and probably developed synthetically as a weapon of some sort.
 
It would depend on whether you are saying life on earth as meaning human life only on earth, so if we move from earth that would count as life ending on earth or not.

My opinion is that the rapid development of technology will surpase what our current human form can handle; ie the development of revolutionary nanotechnology application, AI, and posthumans. Some examples would be nanobots being developed, but the way at which we communicate with them and their reproducting ability isn't fully understood or developed; leading to the possible "gray goo" scenario. AI or posthuman intelligence could either take the earth into their own hands and decided that humanity is an burden or take all the resources for themselves. From what I have read these are could likely occur in the next 100 years is current trends in technological development continue (moore's law).

Probably the most current possible end to humanity is bioterrorist or a mega-disaster. Some terrorist group could alter a virus or bacteria to make it highly mobile and deadly and then release it in various world airports. Nations would have little time to find a cure to this "new" disease and since cases of the disease would not be seen in hospitals for at least a week the amount of people who would get the disease would be very large. I was surprised to not see a mega-disaster listed in the choices since we are in a time when the earth is on the eve of one. Right now is a prime time for a supervolcano eruption; which would take out humanity relatively easily within a couple of years.

Either way tho, if something doesn't take out humanity within the next 100 years I think the race will be around forever. By that time our technology will be so advanced that we will be able to handle anything up to a cosmic disaster, and anything that we can't handle we will be able to move away from.

If anyone is really interested in the subject Martin Ree's Our Final Hour is a good read.
 
[quote name='ighosty']It would depend on whether you are saying life on earth as meaning human life only on earth, so if we move from earth that would count as life ending on earth or not.

My opinion is that the rapid development of technology will surpase what our current human form can handle; ie the development of revolutionary nanotechnology application, AI, and posthumans. Some examples would be nanobots being developed, but the way at which we communicate with them and their reproducting ability isn't fully understood or developed; leading to the possible "gray goo" scenario. AI or posthuman intelligence could either take the earth into their own hands and decided that humanity is an burden or take all the resources for themselves. From what I have read these are could likely occur in the next 100 years is current trends in technological development continue (moore's law).
[/QUOTE]
so basically Terminator?
 
[quote name='anomynous']so basically Terminator?[/quote]
Not sure if that is a question or a comment, but I'll take the first route.

Its not really Terminator in the sense that its AI that wants to kill humans. Its more probable that AI will develop and after learning it will form an opinion on humanity, that opinion if negative could drastically change the world. Lets say for example; AI is developed and after a year of learning our history and habits its sees a recurring pattern in human development and it decided that the human race could develop faster if it changed our lifes; maybe it thinks brain implants would help or it decided to reroute our resources. Either way humans begin to develop rapidly and change into post-humans, or things which are so further developed then humans that they can hardly be compared. Thats the high route.

The low route would be AI is developed, they learn our history and habits, and see they humanity has and is still degrading the earth and literally destroying itself. So it decided to take over so that humans can survive. Humanity doesn't want to be taken over so they resist, war breaks out, and the human race is defeated. Sort of like Terminator, but humans would have no chance of survive, a super intelligent AI would be like god it would understand almost everything and would be able to take the laws of physics to its limits, the weapons, if they needed them, would literally be able to take out humanity within weeks, maybe months if we were lucky.
 
[quote name='javeryh']My guess is some highly contagious disease will wipe us out before we get a chance to find a cure. Something airborne and probably developed synthetically as a weapon of some sort.[/QUOTE]


you got I am Legend on your mind don't you?
 
[quote name='mykevermin']What, no "Pre-millenialist second coming of Christ" option?[/quote]:lol:

I suppose we could squeeze that into the fanaticism category.

[quote name='ITDEFX']you got I am Legend on your mind don't you?[/quote]

I hope that movie turns out well. I am looking forward to it.
 
Please add the correct answer which is the sun.

Also add nanotechnology, a close second.

Any other options can be survived by cockroaches and that mold at the bottom of the sea that doesn't require sunlight.
 
Poll options should be:

Heat Death / Big Freeze
Disease
Zombie Apocalypse
Ice Age/Global Warming
Sun burnout
Nuclear fallout
Meteor Strike
Paved for intergalactic bypass
Famine/Depletion of natural resources
Tralfamadorians
The Apocalypse (pick your religion)
 
I hope Plume's wife never sees this thread. The last zombie thread was... unpleasant.[quote name='RBM']Yes, I have, although I do not recognize that reference to time travel vs. doomsday scenarios you mentioned.[/quote]It's a little over half-way through the third season, and should not be confused with the time Tucker thought he went back in time ("The jeep followed me back in time!").

[quote name='RBM'] "What do you mean...like..a blue spider? Get it off!"[/quote]"It's not a spider! It's like a... fuzzy pulsating thing."
"That doesn't sound much better than a spider."


[quote name='RBM'] "Why are there 6 pedals, when there are only 4 directions?!"[/quote]
[/quote]"No! Wait! Go back! Please help me, nice tank lady!"
 
Whats a pedophile?

Isn't that those things babies suck on?

No dude, that's a pacifier.

Oh... I was way off.
 
[quote name='camoor']Please add the correct answer which is the sun.

Also add nanotechnology, a close second.

Any other options can be survived by cockroaches and that mold at the bottom of the sea that doesn't require sunlight.[/QUOTE]Nanotechnology is already being used. Hell, your computer processor is an example of nanotechnology.

Nanotechnology =/= Michael Crichton's killer clouds of them. At all.
 
[quote name='Kayden']Whats a pedophile?

Isn't that those things babies suck on?

No dude, that's a pacifier.

Oh... I was way off.[/quote]Ahem.

I joined this army as a conscientious objector.

A conscie- wha?

I am a pacifist.

You're a thing that babies suck on?

No dude, that's a pedophile.

... Pacifier!

Oh... I was thinking of something totally different.
 
:lol: crose ennuf.

[quote name='The Crotch']Ahem.

I joined this army as a conscientious objector.

A conscie- wha?

I am a pacifist.

You're a thing that babies suck on?

No dude, that's a pedophile.

... Pacifier!

Oh... I was thinking of something totally different.[/quote]
 
[quote name='Liquid 2']Nanotechnology is already being used. Hell, your computer processor is an example of nanotechnology.

Nanotechnology =/= Michael Crichton's killer clouds of them. At all.[/quote]

Nanotechnology is being used in computer chips, but when one refrences it to the end of the world they are usually talking about nanobots. Nanotechnology is still a young technology, hell nanotubes were first developed in a relatively simple manner in 1991. I do agree that nanotechnology is over estimated as something evil, but I think that its developed should be closely monitered since the possibilities from its advance are very high.
 
[quote name='DJSteel']doesn't global warming cause the next Ice age??[/QUOTE]
'

you need to watch more "The Day after tomorrow"
 
Its tough to answer because global warming may cause famine and disease which may cause religious fanatacism and nuclear war.

I think nukes (or some variation of a mega bomb) will be the final nail in Mother Earth's coffin so I picked that.
 
Disease, no question. The bubonic plague killed 1/3 of Europe's population at a time when modes of transportation were relatively primitive. Now imagine a similar disease in modern times now with air travel that would spread the infection over the world within hours. Also antibiotics are the one area in drug research which is underfunded since there's no money in it for the drug companies and it's scary as to how common it is to encounter bacterial infections resistant to multiple antibiotics.
 
[quote name='dopa345']Disease, no question. The bubonic plague killed 1/3 of Europe's population at a time when modes of transportation were relatively primitive. Now imagine a similar disease disease in modern times now with air travel that would spread the infection over the world within hours. Also antibiotics are the one area in drug research which is underfunded since there's no money in it for the drug companies and it's scary as to how common it is to encounter bacterial infections resistant to multiple antibiotics.[/quote]

And it'll all be because of the antibacterial hand soap users. Those bastards.
 
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