IP: Top 10 ways the world may end tomorrow

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

------ Forwarded Message
From: "Christopher Herot" <cherot () herot com>
Date: Sun, 24 Feb 2002 01:33:35 -0500
To: <farber () cis upenn edu>
Subject: FW: Top 10 ways the world may end tomorrow


At the TED conference (www.ted.com) this week there were many thought
provoking sessions.  One that particularly stood out was a presentation by
Stephen Petranek of Discover on the 10 most likely ways the Earth could end
in the near future:

10. We lose the will to survive  (depression being the #1 mental illness)
9. Aliens invade Earth  (most primitive civilizations do not survive outside
contact)
8. Our Ecosystem collapses (e.g. we destroy the marginal tree in the rain
forest or run out of fish)
7. Particle accelerator mishap - when we can make devices powerful enough to
make black holes we expect them to evaporate, but we can't be sure.
6. Biotech disaster
5. Reversal of Earth's magnetic field
4. Solar flares
3. Global epidemic
2. Rogue black hole
1. Asteroid collision

Petranek pointed out that the chances of dying from an asteroid collision
are 1 in 20,000  about the same as a plane crash.



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