Global Warming
The steady build up of greenhouse gases such as CO2 and methane in our atmosphere is leading to a rise in global temperatures. This is result is melting polar ice caps, crop death and slowly rising sea levels. There are those who argue that global warming doesn’t exist, but the facts are hard to ignore. If we don’t reduce carbon emissions and turn down the heat, civilisation as we know it could be doomed within a few generations.
Asteroid
It may seem like the stuff of movies (we’re looking at you, Armageddon and Deep Impact) but smaller comets and asteroids have already hit or passed close to this planet in the past. If we are hit by a larger celestial body, it’s going to do a lot of damage to the planet and possibly cause floods, firestorms, and huge sun-blocking dust clouds. An asteroid of sufficient size could cause the end of humanity as we know it; that’s probably what got the dinosaurs, after all.
Solar Flares
Every so often, the sun gives off solar flares. These are basically waves of particles that are supercharged with energy, move at great speed, and head straight for Earth. So far, we’ve been safe due to protection from our planet’s magnetic field and resilient atmosphere. However, astronomers have discovered that other stars are capable of giving off “super flares” which are far, far more powerful than the flares we are used to. If the Sun ever charges up and hits us with one of those, Earth would be scorched and our ozone layer burned away entirely.
A Deadly Epidemic
If you know anything about European history, you’ll know that the Black Death was a plague which swept throughout most of Europe and central Asia in the 14th century. It killed millions of people and significantly reduced the global population. What’s more, it continued to cause outbreaks up until the 19th century. As humanity continues to discover antibiotic-resistant diseases and live in closer quarters, it becomes more and more likely that a pandemic will be what ends civilisation as we know it.
Nuclear War
It’s widely known that a nuclear war, involving multiple countries attacking each other, would eventually lead to human extinction. If the radiation didn’t get us, the lack of viable food and water sources would. And if anyone survives radiation and starvation, the dust cloud from the bombs would block out the sun, eventually killing most of the life on Earth. Let’s hope everyone keeps their hands away from those red buttons.
Courtesy: Uncover Discover
