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The belief in the future of humanity varies: optimists see us using teleporters similar to those seen in star trek while pessimists see us living in a dystopian future similar to modern sci fi movies such as the hunger games. Let's discuss the possible ways that humanity could go extinct.
Nuclear War
Probably the most common belief in human extinction is that the powers of Earth will destroy each other in a destructive but glorious end. This possibility remained high from 1949 when the soviets tested their own nuclear bomb up until the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. Both sides were able to avoid nuclear war by passing UN resolutions to restrict the distribution and manufacture of nuclear warheads such as the NPT and just plain realizing that destroying each other would do neither side any good. Despite rising tensions between Nato and Russia, it seems rather unlikely that either side is willing to start a nuclear war. And even if they did, it wouldn't actually doom the rest of humanity but rather it would allow China to colonize the US and Europe, forming an empire. A nuclear war could also result between India and Pakistan which is just as likely if not moreso due to deescalating tensions between the two countries since the nineties (that is assuming that the taliban don't get their hands on one of them and know how to operate it). The last possibility is that Iran develops a warhead, leading to nuclear proliferation in the middle east. This has more potential to start a nuclear war than the previous listings because there's not as much of a fear of mutual annihilation when you're driven by religion. None of these will actually destroy humanity.
Climate Change
Another common way many say will push us to the brink will be climate change. The biggest concern with climate change is that rising temperatures will cause our ice caps to melt, causing sea levels to rise. Another concern is that many animal species are endangered or even extinct because of CC. If nothing is done to reverse these changes, people living at low elevations could be forced to relocate. Although many coastline cities, bangladesh, netherlands, belguim, and the maldives are threatened in a worst case scenario, it will not doom the human race.
Nuclear War
Probably the most common belief in human extinction is that the powers of Earth will destroy each other in a destructive but glorious end. This possibility remained high from 1949 when the soviets tested their own nuclear bomb up until the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. Both sides were able to avoid nuclear war by passing UN resolutions to restrict the distribution and manufacture of nuclear warheads such as the NPT and just plain realizing that destroying each other would do neither side any good. Despite rising tensions between Nato and Russia, it seems rather unlikely that either side is willing to start a nuclear war. And even if they did, it wouldn't actually doom the rest of humanity but rather it would allow China to colonize the US and Europe, forming an empire. A nuclear war could also result between India and Pakistan which is just as likely if not moreso due to deescalating tensions between the two countries since the nineties (that is assuming that the taliban don't get their hands on one of them and know how to operate it). The last possibility is that Iran develops a warhead, leading to nuclear proliferation in the middle east. This has more potential to start a nuclear war than the previous listings because there's not as much of a fear of mutual annihilation when you're driven by religion. None of these will actually destroy humanity.
Climate Change
Another common way many say will push us to the brink will be climate change. The biggest concern with climate change is that rising temperatures will cause our ice caps to melt, causing sea levels to rise. Another concern is that many animal species are endangered or even extinct because of CC. If nothing is done to reverse these changes, people living at low elevations could be forced to relocate. Although many coastline cities, bangladesh, netherlands, belguim, and the maldives are threatened in a worst case scenario, it will not doom the human race.