10 Possible Ways for Human Extinction

Author: Li Yiming
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-08-01
Features: This book selects and elaborates on the 10 most likely threats to humanity. It is hoped that during your reading, you will gain scientific knowledge, enhance your sense of crisis, establish concepts such as environmental protection and peace, and work together to maintain Earth, our shared home.
There are many ways the world could end: a man-made pathogen is released; a global nuclear war breaks out; the ash from a super-volcano blocks the sun; a massive meteorite hits Earth; a swarm of self-replicating nanotechnology robots takes over the world.
There is life, and there is death. Humanity and the Earth are no exception. Martin Rees, a renowned British astronomer, points out that as science, this double-edged sword, becomes increasingly sharp, the difficulty of keeping the Earth "healthy" is growing. According to Rees's calculations, the probability of Earth facing catastrophic disasters has risen from 20% a century ago to 50% today.