In a recent lecture british astrophysicist and general super guru Stephen Hakwing seems to have given up hope that we can clean up the mess that we have created. To quote the professor "It is important for the human race to spread out into space for the survival of the species," Hawking said. "Life on Earth is at the ever-increasing risk of being wiped out by a disaster, such as sudden global warming, nuclear war, a genetically engineered virus or other dangers we have not yet thought of."
It's interesting to note that his opinions on why we need to spread out of the earth are all based on threats we create ourselves. I dont see meteorites scaring Hawkings! He should know being an astrophysicist.
So its official, the reason for our extinction is more likely to be something we do rather than getting hit by comets :)
and the universe being a lossy place can support more of the junk we will spew out? reeks of the inefficiency of the entire system of thought we operate by...(we need something new to get us through ala jdm). Sci-fi and gen fiction writers have long since recognized the stubborn, invarying insistence of the powers that be in driving this planet to the dust...one that comes readily to mind is Stark by Ben Elton. Brilliant, belly achin satire with a gut punchin message. To quote from the Amazon blurb: "Stark has more money than God and the social conscience of a dog on a croquet lawn. What's more, they know the Earth is dying."
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