Earth's climate is changing as a result of the human emission of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases are named so because they prevent the heat that reaches Earth from escaping back into space, resulting in a warmer atmosphere.
Rising sea levels, habitat loss and species extinction are major issues as a result of climate change. Potential scenarios vary in terms of destruction and loss, though even the best case scenarios result in huge disruption. Negative effects include rising sea levels, habitation loss, human displacement, food and water shortages, the propagation of war and an increase in frequency of extreme weather events.
More malign scenarios would see a global sea level rise of 10m, and the displacement of 1 billion people.
Artificial Intelligence
Many tech leaders and researchers, including Elon Musk, Bill Gates and Stephen Hawking, have called for more regulation and research into the threat posed by artificial super-intelligences. Though there are many positive futures for hyper-intelligent, sentient machines, there are an equal number of existential risks posed. The possibility of human enslavement or destruction by an intelligence vastly superior to our own is a threat we cannot give enough precedence to.
Antibiotic resistance
Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to global health, food security, and development today. It occurs when the bacteria becomes resistant to the antibiotics we use to fight them, and the trend is exacerbated by the over-use and wrong application of antibiotics when not needed or effective. A worst case scenario could result in the death of 10 million people per year.
No comments:
Post a Comment