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Do you think humans will become extinct ever?
Do you think humans will become extinct sometime? This question is debatable, since humans are different from other species in that they can improve the life expectancies and survival rates of individuals.
Taking this into account do you believe humans could potentially not become extinct if they can control the factors that lead to their extinction?
If you do think that humans will become extinct sometime, when do you extimate this would happen? Thousands, millions of years?
Thanks for you input!
Taking this into account do you believe humans could potentially not become extinct if they can control the factors that lead to their extinction?
If you do think that humans will become extinct sometime, when do you extimate this would happen? Thousands, millions of years?
Thanks for you input!
Sure. I think that it's perfectly possible for us to become extinct, and that it will probably happen (maybe in billions of years). The vast majority of species that have lived on this planet have become extinct. Besides, life cannot exist without the sun and the sun will eventually burn out.
To say that we would never go extinct is an extremely bold statement. After all, even the universe will eventually either collapse into itself for 'hot death', or slowly succumb to entropy until there is no usable energy left making for 'cold death'.
Could humanity survive either of those? Unlikely.
Will humans leave our solar system before the sun dies? I don't know, but that will probably be the deciding factor in how long the species lasts.
Another crucial point is weather we either leave the Earth, or make ourselves sustainable on it before it is ruined for life.
Of course, this all assumes that a rouge planetoid won't smash the Earth into tiny bits within a week...
Could humanity survive either of those? Unlikely.
Will humans leave our solar system before the sun dies? I don't know, but that will probably be the deciding factor in how long the species lasts.
Another crucial point is weather we either leave the Earth, or make ourselves sustainable on it before it is ruined for life.
Of course, this all assumes that a rouge planetoid won't smash the Earth into tiny bits within a week...
Its a good question,to which no one can know the answer for sure other than to say that humans are the only life form that has existed on earth that has the potential to move beyond this solar system and continue the species elsewhere.
Mans only downfall could be as ocalhoun said a natural disaster on a scale not seen since the dinosaurs,but even with something on that scale i still think there would be large pockets of survivors.
The only other thing that could cease our existence prematurely is man himself,with todays weaponary,wars have the potential to end all human life on earth.
Mans only downfall could be as ocalhoun said a natural disaster on a scale not seen since the dinosaurs,but even with something on that scale i still think there would be large pockets of survivors.
The only other thing that could cease our existence prematurely is man himself,with todays weaponary,wars have the potential to end all human life on earth.
Eventually it WILL happen, but most definitely not in OUR lifetime, so it's not really anything for us to worry about.
| J-Evil wrote: |
| Eventually it WILL happen, but most definitely not in OUR lifetime, so it's not really anything for us to worry about. |
You hope. ^_^;
Everything eventually comes to an end.
Yup, we'll become extinct, at some point... even if it's just a change in our species classification (I can't forsee a real speciation "event" going on under current conditions, but who knows what the future may bring).
we're a bubble that's going to burst i reckon.
B.
B.
| J-Evil wrote: |
| Eventually it WILL happen, but most definitely not in OUR lifetime, so it's not really anything for us to worry about. |
have you got family?
brothers sisters cousins - with kids?
maybe even you have KIDS????
or planning on having some
why don't you show THEM your reply.
in my mind its exacly selfish people with this attitude that's gonna put an end to the human race.
look around you and see the mess we have made of our planet. and we carry on doing it inspite of the fact that we KNOW we are doing it.
call that responsible?
or just HUMAN NATURE
selfish
yep
that's US
cheers?
i think not
This is really a good question. I think there is a good possibility of extinction and probably sooner than what we think, but perhaps not in our lifetime. I just think about global warming and the north and southpole ice melting ..... probably science fiction thinking, but we are obviously burning too much oil, destroying our fresh air with pollution, too many people, too much production, too many wars and bombs going off. In the meanwhile I guess it is best just to enjoy the moments we have and when one thinks extinction it sort of makes our lives a little more precious for the moment of now. 
WHAT? ^_^;
Seriously: WHAT? "Our entire species is probably going to go extinct by our own hand pretty soon, but eh, ****** it. Let's just mellow out and have fun."
Do i even need to comment further? Or does someone else want to point out the flaws here?
Seriously: WHAT? "Our entire species is probably going to go extinct by our own hand pretty soon, but eh, ****** it. Let's just mellow out and have fun."
Do i even need to comment further? Or does someone else want to point out the flaws here?
| Indi wrote: |
| Our entire species is probably going to go extinct by our own hand pretty soon, |
Meh, an overreaction. Humans are as resilient and adaptive as cockroaches. We couldn't exterminate ourselves if we tried. So, why not enjoy the moment?
There is large possibility for human beings to become extinct.Day by day age of human is decreasing,I don't mean that age or period where due to medicines human being is able to live longer life.I mean to say overall age.Imbalance has occurred in nature due to which soon there may be scarcity of resources required for life on the earth.Lets hope for the best what we can do.
It's inevitable. No telling what will finally be the cause but I'd guess that the human race will die off well before other earth life. If we manage to get colonies going in space or other planets, we might be the last surviving earth life, however all it takes is a couple disease epidemics and *poof*.
Yes Most Definatley
Humans Will Become Extinct One Day And That In MY Mind Is Set.
Well Definatley On Earth Anyway. f The Human Race Will Expand To Live On Jupiter Or Some Unknown Planet I Am Not Sure.
Also I See This Opening Up A Series Of Questions Like Will We Find Humans On Other Planets or Aliens One Day Becase If A Planet Has Water And The Right Tempriture Then Bacteria Can Form And If Bacteria Can Form It Can Als Evolve And I personaly Do Not Belive That Earth Is The Only Planet With Living Things.
So Yes On Earth I Belive The Human Race Will Become Extinct.
Humans Will Become Extinct One Day And That In MY Mind Is Set.
Well Definatley On Earth Anyway. f The Human Race Will Expand To Live On Jupiter Or Some Unknown Planet I Am Not Sure.
Also I See This Opening Up A Series Of Questions Like Will We Find Humans On Other Planets or Aliens One Day Becase If A Planet Has Water And The Right Tempriture Then Bacteria Can Form And If Bacteria Can Form It Can Als Evolve And I personaly Do Not Belive That Earth Is The Only Planet With Living Things.
So Yes On Earth I Belive The Human Race Will Become Extinct.
there is no doubt in our extinction no matter where we are.
in physics point of view, everything around us slowly reaching maximum entrophy, in which case the universe, let alone earth, can no longer support human life as we know it.
of course, that is far into the future, if we somehow manage to escape our sun collapsing on itself for a nice and deadly supernova, and the nuclear war on earth before that.
in physics point of view, everything around us slowly reaching maximum entrophy, in which case the universe, let alone earth, can no longer support human life as we know it.
of course, that is far into the future, if we somehow manage to escape our sun collapsing on itself for a nice and deadly supernova, and the nuclear war on earth before that.
| kitsrock wrote: |
| there is no doubt in our extinction no matter where we are.
in physics point of view, everything around us slowly reaching maximum entrophy, in which case the universe, let alone earth, can no longer support human life as we know it. of course, that is far into the future, if we somehow manage to escape our sun collapsing on itself for a nice and deadly supernova, and the nuclear war on earth before that. |
Hmmm....a couple of points;
a) Entropy (not entrophy)
b) Our sun is not large enough to go supernova - it will become a Red Giant and then a White Dwarf. (That will still, of course, be fatal to anything left on Earth, and it is quite likely that Earth will be consumed completely during the Red Giant phase)...
Whoa, only 1 vote for no so far. Well I'd like to keep an optimistic attitude here. Considering the human race and technology will advance in the future, there is no reason that I see that the possibility of them never becoming extinct is less than them becoming extinct. Especially if technological advances as well as biological ones keep happening at the same rate that they have so far.
It has only been a relatively short time that we have even had science as we now know it in existence, and from that point, speeded up by the industrial revolution, advancements have taken hold at a very fast pace compared to the whole history of mankind. Of course this is also taking into considering if people want to pursue technology and biological advancements that will aid in humans surviving no matter what environmental consequence, which I have no doubts that some do.
It has only been a relatively short time that we have even had science as we now know it in existence, and from that point, speeded up by the industrial revolution, advancements have taken hold at a very fast pace compared to the whole history of mankind. Of course this is also taking into considering if people want to pursue technology and biological advancements that will aid in humans surviving no matter what environmental consequence, which I have no doubts that some do.
NEVER go extinct? Of course they will. If nothing else, the sun isn't unlimited. I'm not sure humans can take that on 
I will say we have a great chance at survival under the majority of terrible conditions simply because of our ability to invent, adapt, problem solve, critically think, etc. We stand a pretty good chance against most things in my opinion. But I'm pretty damn sure humans won't last forever. We're just another species and we have our weaknesses which will most likely lead to our downfall at some point.
I will say we have a great chance at survival under the majority of terrible conditions simply because of our ability to invent, adapt, problem solve, critically think, etc. We stand a pretty good chance against most things in my opinion. But I'm pretty damn sure humans won't last forever. We're just another species and we have our weaknesses which will most likely lead to our downfall at some point.
| liljp617 wrote: |
| NEVER go extinct? Of course they will. If nothing else, the sun isn't unlimited. I'm not sure humans can take that on
I will say we have a great chance at survival under the majority of terrible conditions simply because of our ability to invent, adapt, problem solve, critically think, etc. We stand a pretty good chance against most things in my opinion. But I'm pretty damn sure humans won't last forever. We're just another species and we have our weaknesses which will most likely lead to our downfall at some point. |
Well maybe by that time, they will have the means to go to another solar system or something.
| TBSC wrote: | ||
Well maybe by that time, they will have the means to go to another solar system or something. |
I have to take the question based upon the past and current reality.
It's always possible that we'll have the means to find somewhere else to live in the universe before our sun explodes (implodes). However, at the rate we're going, we can't even manage to take care of our own planet by destroying our natural resources and wrecking the ecosystems. I don't think I want humans anywhere else in the universe if we keep this up. Stick to destroying this one galaxy.
| liljp617 wrote: | ||||
I have to take the question based upon the past and current reality. |
Ok, well what I was responding to was your future prediction that something would happen to the sun.
Depends if we get the technology to colonize other worlds. So I'm undecided.
| TBSC wrote: |
| Whoa, only 1 vote for no so far. Well I'd like to keep an optimistic attitude here. Considering the human race and technology will advance in the future, there is no reason that I see that the possibility of them never becoming extinct is less than them becoming extinct. Especially if technological advances as well as biological ones keep happening at the same rate that they have so far. |
This universe isn't eternal so I can't see humans surviving past the point where it expands into frozen, dark, emptiness.
Also, its unlikely we could remain genetically healthy for long without the earth's magnetic field. Astronauts are exposed to high levels of radiation so this would be a big problem for any space colonies.
| Indi wrote: | ||
You hope. ^_^; |
I think the human race will kill itself off within the next 100 years, either in war or by destroying the planet. I look forward to that day.
| TBSC wrote: | ||||||
Ok, well what I was responding to was your future prediction that something would happen to the sun. |
I understand, but you stated that we may be able to inhabit other planets as we do Earth by that time. At the time (reality), I see that being extremely unlikely and again, at the time, I can't say I think it will happen for hundreds of centuries if it ever happens. The complexities of doing so are something we've never come close to facing.
| zellfaze wrote: | ||||
I think the human race will kill itself off within the next 100 years, either in war or by destroying the planet. I look forward to that day. |
looking at the current situation with conflicts all over the place, the need and greed for fossil fuels rising as more economies become mechanised, a growing north-south prosperity gap and global disenchantment with unworkable political "solutions" i think your estimate of 100 years is rather positive.
on the other hand, mother nature is far more rigorous in self control and very unforgiving if abused for to long so your suggestion of species suicide seems far more likely.
but looking forward to it?
why?
this is rather defeatist. we are build to be inventors and fighters for survival - if we ever get our head around the concept that this is one boat we're all in together and it's either sink or sink as a race - unlikely but one can hope and dream - we may just have a little chance.
THIS surely is a goal for anybody with love and compassion in them.
and a question - have you got any kids? what about them?
This thread breaks my heart.
It's not that people are saying that there is a chance - even a probable one - that humans might go extinct. That doesn't bother me, because it is a reasonable assumption. On the cosmic scale, humans are a tiny and rather fragile species... it's not really reaching too far to think of dozens - or even thousands - of ways that we could be wiped out in a few thousand years, let alone a few million or billion. As depressing a prospect as it may be, it is entirely reasonable to believe that humanity may become extinct. But personally, i'm with icecool and TBSC on this: every day we're getting closer and closer to the point that extinction becomes less and less probable, and eventually functionally impossible. With the rate we're advancing now, i think that's quite possible to achieve. In fact, if we continue apace, and if it is at all possible, i'd say we just might outlast the universe itself.
What bothers me is this:
The extinction of a species - any species - is a tragedy. It means they chose an evolutionary path that was a bad choice, and paid the ultimate and final price for their mistake, or that they never even had a chance to become something potentially spectacular. The harsh reality of nature means that some must go extinct, but it doesn't stop it from being a tragedy whenever it happens.
But if a species as wonderful and unique as human was to go extinct... that would be a tragedy of a scale our minds can't even comprehend. A species of bacteria, fish or insect... as sad is it is to lose one of them, they were just bacteria, fish or insects, and even if we were to lose them all, no one else in the universe would really care (assuming no other adverse effects of losing them). But we are an intelligent, creative species. We already have so much to offer the rest of the intelligent universe - should we ever find anyone else out there. And with every year that passes we become more and more interesting, and accumulate more and more to offer anyone who might be interested out there. If we were to die off today and if our traces were discovered by an alien species, every little bit they could find would be beyond priceless, because it would be unique and likely could never be duplicated in the lifetime of the universe. An alien species that never got to see a dodo... feh, they probably couldn't care less. But an alien species that never gets the chance to communicate with us? They'd probably be pretty bummed, to say the least.
What bothers me most about the attitudes i see represented in those quotes is not only the criminal devaluing of humanity and everything we've accomplished. It's the bloody apathy. You're here today because your ancestors cared about the future, whether or not they ever even imagined that it could be as good as it is. You're here because your ancestors fought... struggled... tooth and claw to survive, because survival matters that much. And your thank you to them is "feh, we're all probably gonna die some day, let's not sweat it" (or even worse: "we deserve it").
While you lazy bastards are sitting around shrugging nonchalantly about the potential extermination of your entire species - and possibly all traces of any culture and civilization associated with it - there are people, right now, today, struggling and fighting to keep our species going. They're researching medical technologies to fight diseases that don't even exist yet, engineering technologies to handle just about every kind of potential disaster we can conceive of, and building institutions that they hope will keep our civilization intact and growing for centuries to come. And this is your thanks? Or maybe those guys should all just mellow out, eh? Kick back, relax, and if that giant asteroid hits us before we're ready to deal with it... eh, it was bound to happen some way, some day, right?
i'm a little disgusted, but i guess there's not much i can do about it. You naysayers can always just kick back and ride on the coat tails of the people who are actually working to ensure our continued survival - the people who care - while you reap the benefits of their work like parasites. Hell, that's what you're doing for all of your ancestors and their work, and since you obviously don't give a squat about them and their hopes i can't expect you to care about anyone's today. All i can do is tell you to stay the hell out of my way, because i do not intend to sit back and "just enjoy the moment", i intend to enjoy the moment while working to the best of my ability to make sure our descendents have moments to enjoy, too. As long as you don't get in the way of that, we don't have a problem.
For those who not only don't care about helping us work toward preventing our extinction - for those who actually look forward to it - i have to ask: if you hate this ride so much, why don't you get off?
It's not that people are saying that there is a chance - even a probable one - that humans might go extinct. That doesn't bother me, because it is a reasonable assumption. On the cosmic scale, humans are a tiny and rather fragile species... it's not really reaching too far to think of dozens - or even thousands - of ways that we could be wiped out in a few thousand years, let alone a few million or billion. As depressing a prospect as it may be, it is entirely reasonable to believe that humanity may become extinct. But personally, i'm with icecool and TBSC on this: every day we're getting closer and closer to the point that extinction becomes less and less probable, and eventually functionally impossible. With the rate we're advancing now, i think that's quite possible to achieve. In fact, if we continue apace, and if it is at all possible, i'd say we just might outlast the universe itself.
What bothers me is this:
| J-Evil wrote: |
| ... it's not really anything for us to worry about. |
| deanhills wrote: |
| ... In the meanwhile I guess it is best just to enjoy the moments we have and when one thinks extinction it sort of makes our lives a little more precious for the moment of now. |
| ocalhoun wrote: |
| ... We couldn't exterminate ourselves if we tried. So, why not enjoy the moment? |
| zellfaze wrote: |
| I think the human race will kill itself off within the next 100 years, either in war or by destroying the planet. I look forward to that day. |
The extinction of a species - any species - is a tragedy. It means they chose an evolutionary path that was a bad choice, and paid the ultimate and final price for their mistake, or that they never even had a chance to become something potentially spectacular. The harsh reality of nature means that some must go extinct, but it doesn't stop it from being a tragedy whenever it happens.
But if a species as wonderful and unique as human was to go extinct... that would be a tragedy of a scale our minds can't even comprehend. A species of bacteria, fish or insect... as sad is it is to lose one of them, they were just bacteria, fish or insects, and even if we were to lose them all, no one else in the universe would really care (assuming no other adverse effects of losing them). But we are an intelligent, creative species. We already have so much to offer the rest of the intelligent universe - should we ever find anyone else out there. And with every year that passes we become more and more interesting, and accumulate more and more to offer anyone who might be interested out there. If we were to die off today and if our traces were discovered by an alien species, every little bit they could find would be beyond priceless, because it would be unique and likely could never be duplicated in the lifetime of the universe. An alien species that never got to see a dodo... feh, they probably couldn't care less. But an alien species that never gets the chance to communicate with us? They'd probably be pretty bummed, to say the least.
What bothers me most about the attitudes i see represented in those quotes is not only the criminal devaluing of humanity and everything we've accomplished. It's the bloody apathy. You're here today because your ancestors cared about the future, whether or not they ever even imagined that it could be as good as it is. You're here because your ancestors fought... struggled... tooth and claw to survive, because survival matters that much. And your thank you to them is "feh, we're all probably gonna die some day, let's not sweat it" (or even worse: "we deserve it").
While you lazy bastards are sitting around shrugging nonchalantly about the potential extermination of your entire species - and possibly all traces of any culture and civilization associated with it - there are people, right now, today, struggling and fighting to keep our species going. They're researching medical technologies to fight diseases that don't even exist yet, engineering technologies to handle just about every kind of potential disaster we can conceive of, and building institutions that they hope will keep our civilization intact and growing for centuries to come. And this is your thanks? Or maybe those guys should all just mellow out, eh? Kick back, relax, and if that giant asteroid hits us before we're ready to deal with it... eh, it was bound to happen some way, some day, right?
i'm a little disgusted, but i guess there's not much i can do about it. You naysayers can always just kick back and ride on the coat tails of the people who are actually working to ensure our continued survival - the people who care - while you reap the benefits of their work like parasites. Hell, that's what you're doing for all of your ancestors and their work, and since you obviously don't give a squat about them and their hopes i can't expect you to care about anyone's today. All i can do is tell you to stay the hell out of my way, because i do not intend to sit back and "just enjoy the moment", i intend to enjoy the moment while working to the best of my ability to make sure our descendents have moments to enjoy, too. As long as you don't get in the way of that, we don't have a problem.
For those who not only don't care about helping us work toward preventing our extinction - for those who actually look forward to it - i have to ask: if you hate this ride so much, why don't you get off?
| Indi wrote: |
| What bothers me most about the attitudes i see represented in those quotes is not only the criminal devaluing of humanity and everything we've accomplished. It's the bloody apathy. You're here today because your ancestors cared about the future, whether or not they ever even imagined that it could be as good as it is. You're here because your ancestors fought... struggled... tooth and claw to survive, because survival matters that much. And your thank you to them is "feh, we're all probably gonna die some day, let's not sweat it" (or even worse: "we deserve it"). |
Our ancestors struggled to survive and improve their world because they didn't want to die, and they wanted a more comfortable place to live.
They gave birth to us because they were horny.
For the vast majority of them, the far future (today's present) meant little.
Probably? Definitely. Nobody gets out alive.
Its pretty likely, but I wonder , given another 'chance' to evolve again from scratch, how human-like a second race could become...
| ocalhoun wrote: |
| To say that we would never go extinct is an extremely bold statement. After all, even the universe will eventually either collapse into itself for 'hot death', or slowly succumb to entropy until there is no usable energy left making for 'cold death'.
Could humanity survive either of those? Unlikely. |
I would hope that if we have survived to the end of the universe we would have by then found a way to escape it, either through natural ways to another dimension/universe through some exotic cosmic phenomena still undiscovered , or smashing our way out , even if there is no-where to go we could have learned what it takes to create a Big Bang of our own and create our own universe or at least a place to extend our existence.
| ocalhoun wrote: | ||
Our ancestors struggled to survive and improve their world because they didn't want to die, and they wanted a more comfortable place to live. They gave birth to us because they were horny. For the vast majority of them, the far future (today's present) meant little. |
Isn't that pretty much what i said?
| ocalhoun wrote: |
| Probably? Definitely. Nobody gets out alive. |
Are you sure that is what you mean to say, or is it perhaps just "nobody has gotten out alive so far"?
Biologically and physically, there is no reason we must die. If we could correct for senescence and find a way to store our "mind" (whatever that turns out to be) in a more durable - possibly even distributed and redundant - form we could theoretically live until very close to the end of the universe.
Science wise, we are only 400 years old, max. In 400 years we have completely rewritten our civilization's understanding of our bodies, space, time, matter, energy and more, and most of that progress is in the last 100 years or so, so the pace is obviously increasing. Can you say with absolute certainty that with 400 more years we won't be able to find a way to get around the end of the universe? i can't... because even now - today - we have physicists on the cutting edge drawing up escape scenarios. Yes, seriously. Now - today - they are already thinking about it, and some of the guys doing the most advanced physics in the world say we have a chance.
| xavax wrote: |
| Its pretty likely, but I wonder , given another 'chance' to evolve again from scratch, how human-like a second race could become... |
Biologically, slim to none. If we were wiped out, the next best contenders up to bat are mostly all our nearest biological kin (apes and the like), but even they will not necessarily follow the same evolutionary path we did. They could look nothing like us at all, or they could be pretty close; they could be like Wookies, or Ewoks (god help us). But if something else steps up to the plate - dolphins or whales or something else - they could be as alien as anything from out there among the stars.
Culturally/psychologically, that's a tough question to answer. Any replacement for humanity on Earth will have - more or less - the same environment we did, assuming they live mostly on land. How close? How much does that matter? Who knows?
| Tumbleweed wrote: | ||
I would hope that if we have survived to the end of the universe we would have by then found a way to escape it, either through natural ways to another dimension/universe through some exotic cosmic phenomena still undiscovered , or smashing our way out , even if there is no-where to go we could have learned what it takes to create a Big Bang of our own and create our own universe or at least a place to extend our existence. |
Hot death may be avoidable, perhaps by orbiting the final mass, using energy radiated from it, and waiting for it to expand again...
Cold death would be much harder to survive though. No matter how efficient your generator is, it will eventually run out of fuel. Your solar panels are useless when all the stars have burnt out. Your batteries can't last forever... That would be a bad life... Surviving on the last little scraps of energy, staving off an inevitable end. A slow, ugly way to die.
Of course, they could still survive by time travel or travel to parallel universes, but that is just speculative.
Yeah humans will extinct, and if they don't slow down this will probably happen very soon too.
Almost all creatures lived are extinct now. I am quite sure humans will go on that list too
Almost all creatures lived are extinct now. I am quite sure humans will go on that list too
I think in some hypothetical universe where humans can get their act together and not destroy the planet (or each other) it would be possible for science to advance enough that humans could extend their existence to the end of the universe.
I just don't see this happening. I don't see people getting that far. I think we're going to spend the next 600 or 700 yrs or so screwing up our existence and using science to plug the holes. Collectively it's like we're in over our heads in credit card debt and the interest rates are rising faster than our income. This--we--can't go on forever. Not like we are.
I believe that sometime in the next 1,000 yrs, after steadily degrading our overall existence and quality of life we'll probably go extinct.
I'm glad to be alive now because I'm afraid its only going to get worse. But, I also believe in reincarnation and I think I'm in for it with the rest of you.
I don't think anything lasts forever, and that includes the universe and it definitely includes people. The Buddhists say that a part of the beauty of existence is the temporary nature of it. When I contemplate the end of people I'm sad, but I'm most sad when I think about the pain that will accompany it.
I just don't see this happening. I don't see people getting that far. I think we're going to spend the next 600 or 700 yrs or so screwing up our existence and using science to plug the holes. Collectively it's like we're in over our heads in credit card debt and the interest rates are rising faster than our income. This--we--can't go on forever. Not like we are.
I believe that sometime in the next 1,000 yrs, after steadily degrading our overall existence and quality of life we'll probably go extinct.
I'm glad to be alive now because I'm afraid its only going to get worse. But, I also believe in reincarnation and I think I'm in for it with the rest of you.
I don't think anything lasts forever, and that includes the universe and it definitely includes people. The Buddhists say that a part of the beauty of existence is the temporary nature of it. When I contemplate the end of people I'm sad, but I'm most sad when I think about the pain that will accompany it.
| ocalhoun wrote: | ||||
Hot death may be avoidable, perhaps by orbiting the final mass, using energy radiated from it, and waiting for it to expand again... Cold death would be much harder to survive though. No matter how efficient your generator is, it will eventually run out of fuel. Your solar panels are useless when all the stars have burnt out. Your batteries can't last forever... That would be a bad life... Surviving on the last little scraps of energy, staving off an inevitable end. A slow, ugly way to die. Of course, they could still survive by time travel or travel to parallel universes, but that is just speculative. |
What is speculative today is science tomorrow ......... I have faith that mankind would find a way or make a way to survive our dieing universe, I would speculate that we may work alongside other intelligent life stuck in the same box as us, all the intelligent life in the universe + a billion or so years research/observation seems like a winning formula to me.
| Tumbleweed wrote: | ||||||
What is speculative today is science tomorrow ......... I have faith that mankind would find a way or make a way to survive our dieing universe, I would speculate that we may work alongside other intelligent life stuck in the same box as us, all the intelligent life in the universe + a billion or so years research/observation seems like a winning formula to me. |
A very optimistic view of relations with alien life...
We humans can't even get along with each other, though we are basically all the same. How could we get along with something that actually did have huge differences from us? Though I suppose with billions of years anything is possible, even peaceful humans...
i believe after all the mistakes we have made on this planet. (eg: pollution and introducing animals to areas where they should not exist. ) we probably would make the same mistakes twice, because thats our nature 
The only way human will extinct is either by Nuclear Bomb or by huge asteroid collision with earth or at the time when Sun finish up its Fuel.
Yeah, if we can colonise (other planets/moons) thats the thing. Im thinking we have not made the jump yet, so time is running out if we stay grounded. Wouldn't it be great if we were practicing by having a small colony on the moon right now that was self sufficient.
yes but it will be a long long long time from now...nothing to worry about at this point in time......everything that has a beginnig has an end...yes i stole that from the matrix..in this case: humanity
Yes, humans will definitely go extinct. Species go extinct all the time as the environment changes. The key to ongoing life is that new species take the place of old species. The lives of species aren't that different than the lives of individuals.
Humans are much more capable of manipulating their environment than other species, but that certainly has its plusses and minuses. It could mean we have the ability to speed up our extinction.
Humans are much more capable of manipulating their environment than other species, but that certainly has its plusses and minuses. It could mean we have the ability to speed up our extinction.
if by extinct you mean we'll die from this prolonged large-scale suicide (provoking global warming, cutting down rainforests, stipid wars), then yes.
| The-Nisk wrote: |
| provoking global warming, cutting down rainforests, stipid wars |
None of those would be anywhere near sufficient to wipe out the entire species.
Yes, I do believe we will become extinct one day; whether by the classical definition of extinction where we are all wiped out or we somehow evolve to another species biologically separate from Homo sapiens as we know it. I hardly believe that man-made causes can cause species-wide extinction as we know it. Global warming, nuclear disaster, war; while all causes that deserves and should receive our attention will not be the events that cause the human species to be wiped off the planet.
If I had to wager on what causes it, it will be something external from space that not only wipes out humans but a large percentage of the species like other extinction events that occurred previously in the history of our planet (referring to the percentage of species wiped out, not the same event cause). Heavenly body, epic solar flare, the likes of which we may have never seen.
If I had to wager on what causes it, it will be something external from space that not only wipes out humans but a large percentage of the species like other extinction events that occurred previously in the history of our planet (referring to the percentage of species wiped out, not the same event cause). Heavenly body, epic solar flare, the likes of which we may have never seen.
Disease might do it. Suppose there was an epidemic effecting nearly everyone (AIDS might do as an example). With such a strong selector, some would evolve to be immune to it. (There is already some evidence for genetic immunity to AIDS in some African prostitutes.) If they were isolated somehow (by quarantines, perhaps) they might change to the point where interbreeding is no longer possible. (A disease causing a species to split has been seen in wasps.) Then the immune ones might very well be able to expand out and conquer the non-immune ones who have been severely weakened by the disease. Then the original ones would be extinct soon.
Our population could be destroyed in a matter of seconds. Heck, like ocalhoun just said, disease. For all ANYBODY knows, aliens could come out of the middle of nowhere, and no more humans.
It could happen, nobody really knows. There are a lot of thoughts out there, and they're all bogus. Live you life to the fullest, enjoy every day!
It could happen, nobody really knows. There are a lot of thoughts out there, and they're all bogus. Live you life to the fullest, enjoy every day!
it is possible for humans to become extinct but at the same time it is highly improbable. Humans are high up in the chains and have a proper evolution which is strategically laid out so as to make us the biggest parasites. We can evolve further but exinction is a big doubt...
I don't think humans are parasites....
| MGC77 wrote: |
| I don't think humans are parasites.... |
By any non-philosophical definition, we are not. What host creature do we feed on?
Hey, I like your website. Well no technically we are not parasites.
Now why anyone would want to actually be an animal is an interesting thought.
Now why anyone would want to actually be an animal is an interesting thought.
| MGC77 wrote: |
| Now why anyone would want to actually be an animal is an interesting thought. |
Has nothing to do with whether we WANT to be animals or not, the fact is simple: we are.
As for the various things mentioned that could cause our extinction (ie. climate change, war, disease, etc)... yeah, for the most part I agree that they are, individually, not sufficient to bring about our extinction, don't discount the power of synergy. Add a couple factors together that make life difficult... but not impossible.. to maintain for a species and there comes a point where none are capable of surviving. This sort of thing CAN happen on a global scale. Of course, we would certainly not be the only species affected, but that's not the discussion at hand
The likelihood of this sort of thing is pretty low... but through our own actions we're making it slightly more possible every day. Our great power to manipulate our environment is like every other evolutionary benefit; it comes at a cost... and costs aren't always immediately understood nor noticed.
I think that its a big possibility that the human race would be extinguished. In fact, if we dont experiment a mutation or develop cloning so fast, the extintion is around the corner. In 200 or 300 years, nature would be hostile and cruel with the human race, because we dont have a body prepared against anormal situations...
Well, it's my opinion.
Bye.
Well, it's my opinion.
Bye.
Well the only way we will become extinct is through war
As long as there is food and oxygen, we will live for a long long time to come
GoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Humans!!!!
As long as there is food and oxygen, we will live for a long long time to come
GoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Humans!!!!
| Indi wrote: |
| Biologically and physically, there is no reason we must die. If we could correct for senescence and find a way to store our "mind" (whatever that turns out to be) in a more durable - possibly even distributed and redundant - form we could theoretically live until very close to the end of the universe. |
This is a quote from an August 2008 posting in this thread that I missed before and read with lots of interest today. Would be great if you could give us your insights in how you think it could be possible to live as long as the Universe? And if it is possible, why are we dying before our time? If it is possible to get to be as old as the Universe, and the human species' main objective is to survive, why is the design to live forever not part of our biological make-up? Why the need for families then, and why the need for change?
I think humans will not extinct£¬just one possible result£¬that is New humans become more advanced and powerful. They have strong ability to live in a new situation. And they are different from the humans us.
this post made me remember something in the paper some weeks ago, apparently male gene are dying out and men will be extinct way before human
in the next few hundreth years I think.
what is happening to the world
in the next few hundreth years I think.
what is happening to the world
Er, I think you are referring to the Y chromosome.
Yep - it is indeed in decline. Current estimates say that it will disappear in about 5000 generations (125,000 years).
Since the SRY gene is on the Y chromosome and this is the gene that 'makes' males, then yes, if nothing else happens, males will cease to be born. This might well be a problem for the women as well, unless they stock the sperm banks REALLY well....
Yep - it is indeed in decline. Current estimates say that it will disappear in about 5000 generations (125,000 years).
Since the SRY gene is on the Y chromosome and this is the gene that 'makes' males, then yes, if nothing else happens, males will cease to be born. This might well be a problem for the women as well, unless they stock the sperm banks REALLY well....
| Bikerman wrote: |
| Er, I think you are referring to the Y chromosome.
Yep - it is indeed in decline. Current estimates say that it will disappear in about 5000 generations (125,000 years). Since the SRY gene is on the Y chromosome and this is the gene that 'makes' males, then yes, if nothing else happens, males will cease to be born. This might well be a problem for the women as well, unless they stock the sperm banks REALLY well.... |
I suppose the obvious question is Y,why will this happen,has it happened to other species?
Though i am sure we can stock pile enough sperm to last indefinitely.
| truespeed wrote: | ||
I suppose the obvious question is Y,why will this happen,has it happened to other species? Though i am sure we can stock pile enough sperm to last indefinitely. |
Good question. Yes, it almost certainly has happened to other species and they probably went extinct.
One way would be to switch the male genes onto the x chromosome. This happens, rarely, with some males who are born without a y-chromosome. I believe it has also happened naturally with the Mole-vole species, which has no y chromosome....
We'll go extinct only if a major, really major catastrophe happens before we can 'Get out of dodge' ..... one we have no control over. Examples are our sun dying, a large enough asteroid collision etc.
If we can develop technology to allow escape to other worlds before such a catastrophic event ..... then we may have a chance. Otherwise, eventually we're 'toast'.
Another possibility that could avoid our demise might mean being rescued by superior and caring aliens from other worlds that intervene before a catastrophe. Of course we might then wind up in their zoos.
If indeed we are alone in the universe, then it's more likely our days are numbered because moving to another world on our own, and prospering there, is a real stretch.
If we can develop technology to allow escape to other worlds before such a catastrophic event ..... then we may have a chance. Otherwise, eventually we're 'toast'.
Another possibility that could avoid our demise might mean being rescued by superior and caring aliens from other worlds that intervene before a catastrophe. Of course we might then wind up in their zoos.
If indeed we are alone in the universe, then it's more likely our days are numbered because moving to another world on our own, and prospering there, is a real stretch.
| Dennise wrote: |
|
Of course we might then wind up in their zoos. |
Perhaps we already have. They may have already collected specimens.
Or perhaps our entire planet is just a zoological enclosure...
(now leaving the twilight zone)
i think not,
how will the humans get extinct when the
world is overpopulated by humans
how will the humans get extinct when the
world is overpopulated by humans
It's possible and it will happen. We can't stop a meteor from hiting the Earth, or the Sun exploding or Expanding and burning the Earth. I don't think either of these will happen any time soon, but anything is possible. I don't belive the world will end on 2012, but I'm still debating that.
I don't think the human race can become extinct some DNA will be saved and can be cloned later by the species will be the evolutionary result of human advancement
I dont think humans will be extickt in fact there is a chance that they will become machines like in the movei terminator
| zellfaze wrote: | ||||
I think the human race will kill itself off within the next 100 years, either in war or by destroying the planet. I look forward to that day. |
Are yo 50 years old? Why are you waiting for that day to come? I wish we would exist for ever. At least I hope the existence of human for next 50 years because I might live for another 50 years.
I reckon we won't be extinct anytime soon. Maybe because of how advanced space exploration has become, i mean in the next maybe 200 years Earth might be destroyed by Global Warming but i think mankind would've found a way to terraform planets to make it capable of living in. But thats just my opinion/belief.
| Baka_Desu wrote: |
| in the next maybe 200 years Earth might be destroyed by Global Warming |
Couldn't help laughing at that. Destroyed? Damaged a little, perhaps, in the worst-case scenario. If primitive cave-man humans can survive an ice age, modern humans can surely adapt to a warm age.
| Quote: |
| but i think mankind would've found a way to terraform planets to make it capable of living in. But thats just my opinion/belief. |
If we had the technology to terraform completely uninhabitable planets, wouldn't it be easier to just undo global warming at home? Surely reducing the temperature and greenhouse gas levels would be child's play compared to terraforming, say, Mars, which would require a huge increase in temperature, increase in air pressure, massive decrease of carbon dioxide, massive increase of oxygen, and would have to be seeded fresh with water and life, and probably other things I haven't thought of...
I believe that in maybe 50-100 years we'll have fixed Global Warming with technology somehow. I don't know how, but I've got a feeling. I feel that soon enough technology will be able to fix everything, look how far we've come so far.
| Diablosblizz wrote: |
| I feel that soon enough technology will be able to fix everything, look how far we've come so far. |
In case you haven't noticed, it's that same technology that's supposedly causing the problems we're having now. Wouldn't future advances be likely to mess up something else, probably causing worse problems than we have now?
personal opinion: we're all screwed within the next 100 years. why?
-the risk of a major pandemic (like swine flu or bird flu, but more serious)
-global warming
-the hole in the ozone layer
-rising sea levels
-the fuel crisis
-overpopulation
and probably several other factors i've forgotten.
you never know, suicide could be handy one day.
-the risk of a major pandemic (like swine flu or bird flu, but more serious)
-global warming
-the hole in the ozone layer
-rising sea levels
-the fuel crisis
-overpopulation
and probably several other factors i've forgotten.
you never know, suicide could be handy one day.
| ocalhoun wrote: |
|
... If we had the technology to terraform completely uninhabitable planets, wouldn't it be easier to just undo global warming at home? Surely reducing the temperature and greenhouse gas levels would be child's play compared to terraforming, say, Mars, which would require a huge increase in temperature, increase in air pressure, massive decrease of carbon dioxide, massive increase of oxygen, and would have to be seeded fresh with water and life, and probably other things I haven't thought of... |
What you say makes sense, yet I see a problem with it. Making major changes to a planet's climate may not be compatable with the planet being inhabited at the time. Conceivably, we might have to "humker down" in a temporary dwelling place, perhaps on the moon or mars, while the earth is modified if we do it that way.
Another problem is that we ought to have a prototype. Mistakes are known to be made with new technologies, and I would much rather practice on another planet, even if it were a poor choice for our final dwelling place, than bet everything on being able to do it right the first time on the Earth.
That said, it might still make sense to plan an improved Earth environment, provided relatively small steps were taken and the results carefully monitored for problems. I think that approach would differ radically from the terraforming method, however.
| SonLight wrote: |
|
That said, it might still make sense to plan an improved Earth environment, provided relatively small steps were taken and the results carefully monitored for problems. I think that approach would differ radically from the terraforming method, however. |
Or, just take the cheap and easy method; migrate closer to the polar regions, and away from flood-prone areas. Historically, life does better when the Earth is a little hotter.
Of course we are going to go extinct. Either because of ourselves, a giant meteor, evolution, aliens, etc, etc. The list goes on and on... There is no way we will live forever, the chances of it are so against us its crazy to think we'll be here even 5,000 years from now let alone 1 million.
Personally i'm hoping for evolution to kick our asses, i sorta want to get eaten by a smart flying dolphin.
Personally i'm hoping for evolution to kick our asses, i sorta want to get eaten by a smart flying dolphin.
| Devilizer wrote: |
| Of course we are going to go extinct. Either because of ourselves, a giant meteor, evolution, aliens, etc, etc. The list goes on and on... There is no way we will live forever, the chances of it are so against us its crazy to think we'll be here even 5,000 years from now let alone 1 million.
Personally i'm hoping for evolution to kick our asses, i sorta want to get eaten by a smart flying dolphin. |
You seem to have quite a low opinion of the humn species. The forces of nature haven't seriously threatened human extinction over the last 5,000 years and there's no reason to think they're likely to over the next 5,000. We have created a great threat to ourselves with nuclear weapons, but even the worst plausible scenario might eliminate 90% of us but is very unlikely to cause extinction. Nuclear destruction might also have the side effect of pushing our technology back so that it would be a long time before we would get nukes again.
For the longer term, I agree that we might not make it a million years, and are unlikely to be around forever. I don't see any specific threat likely to wipe us out in a million years, but that's long enough to give us a lot of chances to find a way to destroy ourselves with no survivors.
Huge meteors will doubtless hit the Earth over the next few hundred million years. Likely they will cause a huge death toll, but again are very unlikely to destroy all of us. No natural disaster is likely to kill us all even if we take no action to protect ourselves. If we attain and keep the technology to explore space, even total destruction of Earth could not kill us all.
If any aliens are around now, they must want us alive. Perhaps their goal is to enslave us, and possibly they already have. Future aliens might not be so nice. We can always hope they will choose to keep a few of us as zoo specimens though.
Humans are the only species so far that has some ability to direct their own evolution. I expect they are likely to use it stupidly, but nevertheless are more likely than not to correct their blunders before all are destroyed. If threatened by evolutionary dangers, whether man-made or not, my bet is that they can and will develop and use the technology to meet the threat.
Forever is a long long time. I favor teaching language and other skills to any creature that wants to learn. If we do that and eventually are destroyed by some of them, we will certainly deserve to be eliminated.
| SonLight wrote: |
|
You seem to have quite a low opinion of the humn species. The forces of nature haven't seriously threatened human extinction over the last 5,000 years and there's no reason to think they're likely to over the next 5,000. |
What about the next 5,000,000? The next 5,000,000,000?
On a long enough time scale, extinction is a near certainty. Even if there are still 'humans' around in 5 billion years, they'll certainly have changed a lot from they are today.
(And I share that low opinion of the human species. Oh, they are very good at surviving... so are cockroaches.)
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