Samuel Okoruwa
The possibility of the world ending is something that sends shudders down the spines of many. And yet, there are several scenarios and counting which could mark the end of all life on earth.
Although some of these scenarios have been depicted in movies over the years, they are more real than ever. In fact, we’ve seen the rise of more risks that were not there before just a few decades ago. But their effects on the world are becoming more evident day by day. Scientist believe the world could become uninhabitable in the nearest future if nothing is done about these risks.
Here are 9 scary ways in which the world could end.
Nuclear War
For a long time, many people have been worried about the possibilities of the world ending through a nuclear war. And they have every right to be. With the massive stockpiles of nuclear weapons countries like North Korea, Iran, Russia, and the US have at their disposal, anything could go wrong if they get into the wrong hands. We’re talking nuclear explosions that could kill millions of people, raise so much dust that could block out sunlight, and ultimately lead to the end of all all life on earth.
Global Warming
A few decades ago, most people would have never thought that global warming would become a real threat to us. But today, many scientists say it is the biggest threat facing the planet. We all have climate change to worry about which could increase droughts, make the weather more extreme, and cause certain areas of the earth to be submerged due to rising sea levels.
Asteroid
You’re probably aware that asteroids have hit the earth on several occasions in the past. For instance, the asteroid that wiped out all the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. Scientists believe this same kind of asteroidal impact could repeat itself in the future. Every year, hundreds of asteroids travel close to the earth but most of them pass safely.
READ ALSO: These 8 things would have been different if the earth was flat.
Black Hole
Imagine there is a super-gigantic hole that is on its way to swallow the earth but scientists can’t do anything to stop it. That’s what it would look like if a black hole were to actually swallow the earth. Black holes are dark cosmic entities in space with gravitational forces so strong that no object, not even light, can escape from them. However, the chances of a black hole swallowing the earth are one in a trillion, making it one of the least likely way the world could end.
Overpopulation
The fear of overpopulation first became significant in the 18th century when Thomas Malthus predicted that in the future the population of the world would surpass the availability of food. This would lead to massive starvation and the wipe-out of earth. With world population now at 7 billion people and counting, this now seems like a real threat. Although, there are some people disagree with this theory. They believe things will stabilise in the coming future as humanity devices more ways to provide food for planet.
Supernova
A supernova occurs when a supergiant star explodes in space leading to a massive release of energy that is equal to the the total output of the sun over its 10 billion year lifetime. Scientists believe one star in particular, Betelgeuse, could explode in the next 100,000 years, wiping out the whole surface of the earth.
Global Pandemic
New diseases spring up every year. With the rate at which the world is now interconnected, a naturally occurring or manmade disease could spread globally which could lead to death of millions of people. There may be survivors from this global pandemic but they could eventually die off due to an inability to sustain agriculture.
Artificial Intelligence
For years, Hollywood has depicted killer robots in movies such as “The Terminator” and “Total Recall”. While these are only science fiction, a robot takeover of the world is not far from happening in real life. Scientists call the point at which artificial intelligence could overtake human intelligence the singularity. They believe we are very close to this point. The threat has been so real that the United Nations once called for a ban on killer robots. Imagine the havoc a bunch of killer robots with lethal weapons could wreak on mankind!
Which of these scary ways do you think the world is most likely to end? Tell us in the comment section below.
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