Apocalypse - What's the end game?

[BormonReborn]

I hear all kinds of theories on how it's going to end.

Global Warming,

Ice Age,

AI takeover,

Zombies,

Asteroids,

Mega-Earthquakes,

Alien Invasion,

Plague / Disease,

Bio-Weapons released by terrorists,

Nuclear Winter,

Shark-Nados

While some are a bit scary to think of, in truth they all seem a bit crazy...

Does anyone really think these could happen on a scale that is going to bring down our civilization? If you do think any of these can happen, are you preparing for them in anyway?

[Malik Ambar]

I'm long going to be dead to bother about this. For the matter of fact, so is everyone who's a member of this board.

[Lykos]

Giant space goat Enormous mutant star goat.

Or being invaded by a gigantic swarm of twelve-foot piranha bees. Or much more likely we'll all be suddenly wiped out by a virulent disease contracted from a dirty telephone.

[eyenon15]

I'm going with unforeseen Higgs Boson consequences

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

I dreamed in a vivid and realistic dream last night that I witnessed a major metoric impact on the East Coast of the US. Not a good dream and not the first time I've had similar dreams.

[Liffguard]

Oh, you'll all find out soon enough....

[midi]

Most of those can't actually cause an end of humanity really. For example, Bio-Weapons, Mega Earthquakes, Global Warming, new Ice Age or virulent diseases could cause a drastic drop in human population but they can't really cause "The End".

Then let's discount the ridiculous events that can't really even seriously be considered: Zombies, Shark-Nados, Alien invasion and possibly AI-takeover seeing as AI is completely dependent on humans for it's software development.

We are left with

1. Asteroids and

2. Nuclear Winter. Of these, Nuclear Winter is far more likely, but still incredibly unlikely.

I'd like to add some things to the list:

3. Supervolcano eruption (they cause an effect similar to Nuclear Winter)

4. Gamma-ray burst

5. Massive solar flare

6. Nanotechnology (Grey goo problem)

[Fragile Bird]

Please correct the first item on your list to "Climate Change". :)

Years ago we all thought the impact on our planet of human activity was simply that temperatures would rise. That is happening (search: polar bears), but it's not that simple, which is why we now talk about climate change. That is what is going to be disastrous to human beings. One result from climate change alone, the melting of polar ice caps, will displace not millions or even hundreds of millions of people, it will likely displace several billion people. That won't happen peacefully.

I'll be dead by then, it will be your children who will have to deal with.

[Fragile Bird]

I dreamed in a vivid and realistic dream last night that I witnessed a major metoric impact on the East Coast of the US. Not a good dream and not the first time I've had similar dreams.

Last night I had a very vivid dream as well, Ser Scot. I dreamed I finally got another cairn terrier puppy.

I like my dream better. :)

[midi]

Last night I had a very vivid dream as well, Ser Scot. I dreamed I finally got another cairn terrier puppy.

I like my dream better. :)

I dreamed a very vivid dream too. It included a large harem consisting of top models with me as the sultan... :commie:

I like my dream the best. :grouphug:

[PyroclasticFlow]

Most of those can't actually cause an end of humanity really. For example, Bio-Weapons, Mega Earthquakes, Global Warming, new Ice Age or virulent diseases could cause a drastic drop in human population but they can't really cause "The End".

Then let's discount the ridiculous events that can't really even seriously be considered: Zombies, Shark-Nados, Alien invasion and possibly AI-takeover seeing as AI is completely dependent on humans for it's software development.

We are left with

1. Asteroids and

2. Nuclear Winter. Of these, Nuclear Winter is far more likely, but still incredibly unlikely.

I'd like to add some things to the list:

3. Supervolcano eruption (they cause an effect similar to Nuclear Winter)

4. Gamma-ray burst

5. Massive solar flare

6. Nanotechnology (Grey goo problem)

Coronal mass ejection on a scale of something never before seen or experienced.

Wipes out all but a few of the satellites in orbit.

Destroys all radio and electrical transmission lines.

Small percentage of the earth's population commit suicide due to lack of access to social media :dunno:

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

FB,

I like your dream better too. See what happens when you read Seveneves and

Nemesis Games

in rapid sucession.

[Fragile Bird]

I dreamed a very vivid dream too. It included a large harem consisting of top models with me as the sultan... :commie:

I like my dream the best. :grouphug:

Since this is the Apocalypse thread, was this after you strapped a few kilos of dynamite on yourself and blew yourself up as a martyr and then went to heaven to collect your harem? :o

[drawkcabi]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c21qNyeb0kY

[midi]

Coronal mass ejection on a scale of something never before seen or experienced.

Wipes out all but a few of the satellites in orbit.

Destroys all radio and electrical transmission lines.

Small percentage of the earth's population commit suicide due to lack of access to social media :dunno:

Erm, a superflare can instantly fry the ozone layer and eliminate (almost) all life on earth. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superflare

Since this is the Apocalypse thread, was this after you strapped a few kilos of dynamite on yourself and blew yourself up as a martyr and then went to heaven to collect your harem? :o

Yes well I tend to skip the unfortunate parts in my dreams and move right on into the dirty ones, so I can't really say... perhaps this was me rebuilding society and re-seeding humanity after one of these catastrophic events.

Also difficult for me to imagine how a few kilos of dynamite could cause an apocalypse, though perhaps it was a only a personal apocalypse. Just like the cairn terrier was for you (I assume?)

[BormonReborn]

Most of those can't actually cause an end of humanity really. For example, Bio-Weapons, Mega Earthquakes, Global Warming, new Ice Age or virulent diseases could cause a drastic drop in human population but they can't really cause "The End".

Then let's discount the ridiculous events that can't really even seriously be considered: Zombies, Shark-Nados, Alien invasion and possibly AI-takeover seeing as AI is completely dependent on humans for it's software development.

We are left with

1. Asteroids and

2. Nuclear Winter. Of these, Nuclear Winter is far more likely, but still incredibly unlikely.

I'd like to add some things to the list:

3. Supervolcano eruption (they cause an effect similar to Nuclear Winter)

4. Gamma-ray burst

5. Massive solar flare

6. Nanotechnology (Grey goo problem)

While I am not a supporter of the theory, A true AI would be able to alter its own programming, being a true intelligence. People believe that a true AI civilization would see humans as flawed and disposable.

[BormonReborn]

Weird double post

[HexMachina]

Apes take over, of course. Saw this great documentary on it, they even made it into the cinema recently!

[Malik Ambar]

Umm..... wrong. Hollywood believes that.

EDIT I was referring to the AI point. The Apes one is 100% legit.

[sologdin]

betting on how the RSB described it, which is that we very reasonably awaken a genocidal AI thing that makes everyone sterile, which should be sufficient as an apocalypse, but then, just to be safe, other AI things drown us in black semen.