The End of the world

[AleisterCrowley]

Looks like a big...target

[vrdiver]

At present they still need men to produce the sperm. We should go on strike or at least take the matter into our own hands so to speak.

Going on sex strike has traditionally been the tactic to stop Armageddon, since at least the time of the ancient Greeks. I recommend Aristophanes's Lysistrata for a vision of how blokes would fare if it were the women on strike!

VRD

[neversay]

It's pandemic that worries me the most, particularly one with a long incubation period that would spread without being detected early.

Climate change, I think humanity would adapt but maintaining economies and hence social order would be the challenge. The arguments for/against climate change are, for me, a red herring as we should use the Precautionary Principle as most interventions (like recycling, clean energy, etc) are just a good thing to do regardless. It's overpopulation that's the real issue so if humans don't control population then nature is bound to intervene sooner or later.

The next highest concern for me is our accidental dependence on IT systems that can be knocked out either by cyber attacks, EM weapons or solar magnetic bursts. It's not an 'end of the world' scenario but our supply chains, banking systems, communications are critical infrastructure but highly fragile. I don't believe we have built sufficient resilience into our modern lifestyles. For me, that's the most likely scenario for a major near time event.

[Leothebear]

While we're on such a cheerful note: I wonder what future delights are already in the oceans, their containers slowly eroding, set to further poison the seas?

Anyway, thank God it's Friday.... Oh is isn't

[kiloran]

To be fair, the next 3 are pretty much 'sudden' events - like nuclear war, alien invasion and asteroid collision and could pretty much happen at any time (although nuclear war would probably happen after a protracted conventional war). (

Or, more likely, after a protracted "This post should/should-not be on the HYP Practical board" war

--kiloran

[tjh290633]

To be fair, the next 3 are pretty much 'sudden' events - like nuclear war, alien invasion and asteroid collision and could pretty much happen at any time (although nuclear war would probably happen after a protracted conventional war). (

Or, more likely, after a protracted "This post should/should-not be on the HYP Practical board" war

--kiloran

That's fighting talk. Remember the old Irish question "Is this a private fight or can anyone join in?"

TJH

[Clitheroekid]

I've only just seen this poll, but there's absolutely no doubt which option I'd choose:

Catastrophic event of your choice. Plagues of Frogs, boils, locusts, Liverpool winning the EPL etc

Can't wait!

[stevensfo]

It's pandemic that worries me the most, particularly one with a long incubation period that would spread without being detected early.

It's overpopulation that's the real issue so if humans don't control population then nature is bound to intervene sooner or later.

This is something that has always puzzled me. When I was a child and student in the 80s, the subject of over population was big news, as well as 'consumerism gone mad'. There was even talk of 'consuming-free' days to draw attention to what we were doing.

We don't hear this any more. Like the frog-in-boiling-water analogy, maybe we've just got used to it. Those days when I drove my Mum's car down the A1 with hardly another car in sight have gone forever. Driving from our village to town was so simple; now it's bumper to bumper. We were told to consume less to save the planet. Now we're told to consume to save the economy.

Steve

[Slarti]

I can't recall what it was about, but there was footage of at least 11 billion skinny Chinese doing a perfectly synchronised martial arts routine in a major Chinese city square.

Earth From Space

Slarti

[Aldumbell]

more like in the movie 2012

[Slarti]

more like in the movie 2012

https://vimeo.com/330334587 at 13 seconds

Slarti

[AF62]

So assuming we're all dead men walking, what do you think will be the end of us?

1. As in the film 'The day after tomorrow '
2. As in the film 'Wargames'
3. As in the film 'Outbreak'
4. As in the film 'Volcano '
5. As in the film 'Independence Day'
6. As in the film 'Deep Impact '
7. As in the film 'The Matrix'
8. As in the film....?
9. As in The film Diehard....4?
10. Free film choice.

8. As in the film Avengers: Infinity War

[brightncheerful]

All those films have survivors don't they?

And many more than you might think.

The film crew, admin people, make-up, music, director, producer, etc. etc.

For example: " The End of the World 2018" - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9341628/fullcredits/?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm

[UncleEbenezer]

Not just Arthur Dent

When a new plague emerges from unclear origins, we might want to remind ourselves that Dubya took the US out of biological weapons treaty, so he could run his programmes in complete secrecy. Trump is heir to that (so he'd probably tweet it if it were him), but someone might've heard him complaining of Chinese ... um ... turbulent priests, or a proper Bond villain might've been reading cold war novels.

[tjh290633]

The problem is that much of that data has been "adjusted" to suit the theory.

TJH

[servodude]

The problem is that much of that data has been "adjusted" to suit the theory.

TJH

THE problem? Yes definitely that must be it

- sd

[Meatyfool]

https://xkcd.com/1732/

You don't have to read all the labelling, but just keep scrolling and see how quick the hockey stick is!

Meatyfool..

[servodude]

https://xkcd.com/1732/

You don't have to read all the labelling, but just keep scrolling and see how quick the hockey stick is!

Meatyfool..

The problem is that much of that data has been "adjusted" to suit a webcomic. Still awesome though

-sd

[UncleIan]

The problem is that much of that data has been "adjusted" to suit the theory.

Are we still at the theory stage are we?

You know, like gravity and evolution.

[sunnyjoe]

The problem is that much of that data has been "adjusted" to suit the theory.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_theory

"A scientific theory is an explanation of an aspect of the natural world that can be repeatedly tested and verified in accordance with the scientific method, using accepted protocols of observation, measurement, and evaluation of results. Where possible, theories are tested under controlled conditions in an experiment. In circumstances not amenable to experimental testing, theories are evaluated through principles of abductive reasoning. Established scientific theories have withstood rigorous scrutiny and embody scientific knowledge.

The meaning of the term scientific theory (often contracted to theory for brevity) as used in the disciplines of science is significantly different from the common vernacular usage of theory. In everyday speech, theory can imply an explanation that represents an unsubstantiated and speculative guess, whereas in science it describes an explanation that has been tested and widely accepted as valid. These different usages are comparable to the opposing usages of prediction in science versus common speech, where it denotes a mere hope."

My underlining.

I think anthropogenic global warming qualifies as a scientific theory, but I'm not sure which theory TJH meant. It sounded like he meant that the data had been adjusted corruptly with malign intent. If that was to the detriment of mankind then surely some other scientists would present untainted data and analysis to heroic acclaim.