The future of Mankind

Do you ever wonder how long mankind will be around? Will there still be humans on earth in 1000 years? How about 10,000 years and beyond? What will our planet be like then?
Humans put a lot of stress on their environment, with population growth, pollution, wars, etc. Combine this with any number of possible natural phenomenon and I often wonder how mankind's future will play out.

The meek will inherit the earth - the rest of us will escape to the stars.

I voted for 10,000. However, I dont think we will make it through the week.

1000 I'd say with our ozone and the sun and all the crap that we do..We will head off this planet very soon.

I'll give it less than a 1000 due to some kind of nuclear war or something

I think in the next couple of hundred years we'll get good enough at space travel that we'll be able to get to Mars and the moon fairly easy. With that I think we'll last longer than a 1,000 but won't make 10,000.

As to what Gottie said, as they say in T2, "It's in our nature to destroy ourselves." I find it hard to believe for a "united" peace around the whole world and/or solar system, ect. There is always going to be somebody who wants to fuck it up and the shit will hit the fan.

Right now, if every single nuke in the world went off, what would be left? There wouldn't be one square inch that wouldn't be glowing in the dark and every single person would be dead.

In the next couple of years fusion will be our main power source and if it gets in the wrong hands you'll have the power of the sun able to en-gulf the entire Earth.

Personally, I think the human race will be able to make it is if we learn light-speed travel and are able to travel the galaxy. We'll be so spread out it'll be impossible to destroy all of us.

A thousand years. The stupid are reproducing at such an alarming rate! I'll be ashes by then, but hope the young ones in the future realize the problem.

Im with Muscletang, thats probably the only way we'll make it out.

Right now, if every single nuke in the world went off, what would be left? There wouldn't be one square inch that wouldn't be glowing in the dark and every single person would be dead.


That's not true. No matter how much we like to tell ourselves that, I've heard from some very smart people that it would be currently impossible to kill every single person on the planet at once. The radiation might get to them later though... who knows?

A war will end it sooner as long as people have the need for power.

I'll give it 49 months. That should be enough to get my car paid off.

I'll give it 49 months. That should be enough to get my car paid off.

:cwm27:

Voted more than 10,000 years. What can I say, I'm an optimist

may be not mankind as a whole, but society as we know it. there might be the robinson carusoe or the dude from mailman.....

doesnt concern me really. I'll be wormchow by then

That's not true. No matter how much we like to tell ourselves that, I've heard from some very smart people that it would be currently impossible to kill every single person on the planet at once. The radiation might get to them later though... who knows?

Ok it would be impossible because of all the small islands and who knows who has a bomb shelter very, very deep in the ground. It is true though that 99.999% will be dead. Do you know how many nuclear weapons the U.S. alone has? Lets not forget the hydrogen bomb which blows up part of our atmosphere. What if enough went off to start a chain reaction?

Eh, I think mankind will go Starwars, having 2 sides Democrats=Jedi Communism=Sith. And we go into battle with big flashy sticks making humming sounds with every swing and yet we will be living in many worlds even those as useless as tatooine.

I'm currently reading a book on life extension, they say with the rate that gene therapy is progressing, we'll be able to live to be 5,000 years old by the year 2100. They already increased the lifespan of a worm 6 fold using this method. While this will certainly have overpopulation repercussions, like others said, at the rate we are advancing, we'll be onto other planets soon enough.

'It's in our nature to destory ourselves' I like that line, and know it well, but have you ever heard of a thing called evolution? We adapt to survive. Sure there's oodles of nuclear weapons, but do you really think that there will be another cold war? Nobody is out to nuke the other party, based on principles of MAD.

We'll eventually smarten up, develop non-fossil fuel based energy and it'll be the foundation of a new generation that will probably be some sort of uber conquering colonization machine. Once we can efficiently travel to mars, the gate to the rest of the universe opens.

Keep in mind Alpha Centuri is very far away, but we'll have devised methods to adapt to harsh climates, lack of oxygen, and other speed bumps.

Hey, only 95 more years until they can extend my life. Sweet. Now, if I could only make it that long.

Mankind needs to stop poisoning himself, manage resources, stop overpopulation, and cooperate to survive.

I wouldn't rule out some disease (aids? ebola? something worse?) that will cause a large population die off in the next 10-15 years. The plague in the 1500's and the influenza outbreak of 1918 are examples of a pandemic. The CDC and other organizations are very good at spotting and containing outbreaks, but I believe there will eventually be one that will have devastating results (this is currently happening in Africa with AIDS btw)

If the population is kept in check, and mankind manages resources, then we may survive to 10000 plus years from now.

Well who knows about that 5000 years thing, but hey it'd be cool if I could do that, i'll be sitting there with my great,great,great,great,great,great,great,great grandchildren going "Yeah, I had this car..if was my first car, it was green..think they called it a Camaro, YEAH a camaro, man those things whooped up on Mustangs so easily..then they cut them off and brought em back! I remember I bought the new model..it was great" and none of them will be listening, lol.

The whole 5000 year life span gene therapy thing is crap. The worms they worked on have much more simple dna than we do, also during their normal 2 week life span they experience a very small fraction of dna mutations, (assuming both the worm and a human live completely seperate from any outside factors to further contribute to dna mutation) which is a major factor in that pesky thing called death. The article that I am reading I am assuming is related to the book since it talks about the 6 fold lifespan increase of the worms says that they are slowing the activity of the daf-2 gene which contains the instructions for its growth hormone. So what they are doing here is slowing down the ammount of growth hormone introduced at a certian time. This might seem like a good idea to the worm, sure, he only has a tiny fraction of the number of cells as we do, is extremely primitive, and lives about 2 weeks. We are talking about a pseudocoelomate here. Now to a much more highly organized highly structured creature such as humans, nope, not gonna happen. Dna mutations alone wont let us get that old. We can slow the aging process, hell buy your parents/grandparents some human growth hormone, they will feel great and probably even look a little better, will they live longer? Sure, that is until things not controled by hormones take over, it might buy them a couple extra years, 5000? Not a snowballs chance in hell.

What im trying to say is, no.


EDIT* I forgot to put a link to the article http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/10/24/MNGBM2IMP21.DTL

lol, easy there.

The worm was a C. Elegans, and they did so by modifying genes that control insulin and sex hormone levels.

Read the works of Cambridge scientist Aubrey de Grey if you're still not convinced.

If you want, I'll post an excerpt from the book illustrating how they plan on achieving a 5,000 year lifespan.

Like many people that posted, I also believe that we will experience some sort of large scale population reduction within the not to distant future. Unlike many posters I don't see us being prepared to survive long term off of our planet within this time frame. There are just too many problems to work out. Plus we don't even know if there are any other livable planets out there, or how to reach them if there is.

Right now we're still blowing up space craft in our own atmosphere. Is it realistic to think that in a couple hundred years we'll be able to master light speed travel and find suitable homes in other solar systems and galaxies? Only if you watch a lot of star wars movies. (EDIT: or robot movies!)

Before (and if) mankind is eliminated he will first be reduced down to much smaller numbers. During this period those people remaining will hardly be able or even concerned with trying to fly to other worlds.

Now let's hear from some optimists! :smile:

Porsche, what is the book you are reading? Next summer semester I am taking a math class and need some good reading to keep me from going insane from the massive ammount of numbers I will be looking at.

Is it realistic to think that in a couple hundred years we'll be able to master light speed travel and find suitable homes in other solar systems and galaxies? Only if you watch a lot of star wars movies.

I bet they said the same thing back in 1805 about "super machines", "going to the moon", "horseless carriages", "explosions so big they could destroy cities", and other things like that.

Technology is growing so fast because of computers that they'll be so fast and small anything is possible.

Right now computers are fast and small enough for robots and they're already making them walk. In about 50 years they'll probably master robot production. Then, they can send them to Mars to harvest the planet for human colonization.

If you have an imagination and actually think for a second you'll see that in a couple hundred years anything could be possible.

So there is a possiblity for lightsabers!? Dude I wanna live that far, lol.

I bet they said the same thing back in 1805 about "super machines", "going to the moon", "horseless carriages", "explosions so big they could destroy cities", and other things like that.

Technology is growing so fast because of computers that they'll be so fast and small anything is possible.

Right now computers are fast and small enough for robots and they're already making them walk. In about 50 years they'll probably master robot production. Then, they can send them to Mars to harvest the planet for human colonization.

If you have an imagination and actually think for a second you'll see that in a couple hundred years anything could be possible.

Maybe, but this same "technology" has enabled us to over exploit our planet and given us ever more power to destroy it. In 1805 I doubt anyone thought about "global warming", "weapons of mass destruction", "mass extinctions" or any of the other many unfortunate side effects of our spectacular technology that ultimately threaten all of earth including man.

Imagination is great but one must also look at the facts of history and be somewhat realistic.

Maybe, but this same "technology" has enabled us to over exploit our planet and given us ever more power to destroy it. In 1805 I doubt anyone thought about "global warming", "weapons of mass destruction", "mass extinctions" or any of the other many unfortunate side effects of our spectacular technology that ultimately threaten all of earth including man.

Imagination is great but one must also look at the facts of history and be somewhat realistic.


:werd: Technology has helped us live longer, increased the infant mortality rate, sure these things sound great. But resources are finite. We will eventually outgrow the planet. I do think that back in the 1800's people worried about things involving mass descruction/extinction. Just ask the bible thumpers about the end of days. But yeah, we need to go to mars or we are going to have to figure out how to make material things out of nothing.

I believe we're going to create spaceships with the ability to carry thousands of people, with everything needed to survive bieng created on board. I think we can grow food but i can't think of how to we can get water. We can get solar energy. We should mass produce these spaceships, create fighter spaceships and take the earths population into space in search of a new home, and when one is found a certain number of ships will descend and live there while the other continue.

Just ask the bible thumpers about the end of days.

How about it, are there any believers out there? I'm surprised we haven't heard from you yet. If you know the book of revelations please post how things are supposed to play out according to the bible. Any other religious beliefs of the end times would also be appreciated.

I'm currently reading a book on life extension, they say with the rate that gene therapy is progressing, we'll be able to live to be 5,000 years old by the year 2100. Great, just great. I only have 13 years to go so I can retire and with my luck, just before I can, they announce extending our lifespan as well as the government raising the retirement age. :mad: Damn evolution.

TS out (sabotaging the research)

that book you're reading, porsche, wouldnt happen to be "live long enough to live forever" would it?

If you know the book of revelations please post how things are supposed to play out according to the bible.

I don't know much but it's said signs of the end times will be...

1. the world will have one money system, like the Euro-dollar
2. people will be recognized by number, like social security
3. Isrial will become a nation, like back in 1945

Basically before the return of Christ and the start of the end, things are going to start spinning out of control, which they're starting to.

Also, Revelation talks of "a mountain coming from the sky" and when we see in the news "scientist say astroid will hit Earth in 2018!" makes you wonder.

The future of Mankind - is doomed to extincintion like everything else. Once that rock comes thats it!

That's pretty queer...just waiting for that big rock to hit like dinosaurs.

That's pretty queer...just waiting for that big rock to hit like dinosaurs.

No Its the "FACTS" its been said many times by tons of scientists that there is an area ever 1 million years or so where the earth is the most vunerable to astriods and guess what where in the heat of it!

Evolutionary theory [with factual basis,now] states that any dominant specie will be superceded. Whether by natural calamity, internal strife, etc., the human race will be superceded. When? That's up to us, but I doubt for more than uor grandchildren's grandchildren's lifetimes.

Since I'll be dust by then, I really don't give flying F.

Since I'll be dust by then, I really don't give flying F.

THANKYOU!

Finally someone knows what im talking about! And I thought I was the only one lke that.

...:werd:

Personally I don't care if I'm long gone by then. I find the topic interesting now.

Similarly I wasn't here thousands of years ago either but I still find history fascinating.

I don't know much but it's said signs of the end times will be...

uh oh

1. the world will have one money system, like the Euro-dollar but those are two different monetary systems. and we're also forgetting the yen, the swiss franc, the australian dollar (is that still around?), the rupee, the rand, the new zealand dollar, the south african dollar, etc.

2. people will be recognized by number, like social security um, still called Lennon to my friends, family and authorities. when they figure out how to give me ONE number that the whole world will recognize (besides my passport number, drivers license number, students ID number, social security number, employee number, etc) ill be worried

3. Isrial will become a nation, like back in 1945 eh, 1 out of 3 aint bad.

uh oh
but those are two different monetary systems. and we're also forgetting the yen, the swiss franc, the australian dollar (is that still around?), the rupee, the rand, the new zealand dollar, the south african dollar, etc.


But there is only one monetary system that actually matters anymore, its called PayPal...

that book you're reading, porsche, wouldnt happen to be "live long enough to live forever" would it?


It would, well that's the subtitle anyways. It's called 'Fantastic Voyage - Live long enough to live forever' by Ray Kurzweil and Terry Grossman

I'm only about 1/3 in, but it's a fairly detailed prediction of what's next for human in terms of aging and genetics.

Yeah but everybody thought it was the end when the millinium came, well you see how true that theory was.

Yeah but everybody thought it was the end when the millinium came, well you see how true that theory was.

What are you talking about dude, the world did end...

I cant believe I missed it. I always get left out.

With the point about aging population, you need a young population to keep the economy going. If you curved births, all you would have is more old people. Who is going to take care of them all? I don't think the point is to increase life span, but to increase the productive life span of a person. You don't want some 200 y.o. person who retired at 65, that would be bullshit.

As for the surviving in outer space thing, I don't think the point of living is to merely survive. If you can't enjoy life, what's the point in living? If there was a nuclear war, I'd want to be part of the 99% of people who perished in the first explosion than to be that 1% scattered around trying to survive the human race. Call me selfish for wanting that, but I gave a fuck more about the survival of the human race than the onces who launched the nukes (if it were to happen of course).

And if they were to invent lightsabres, fuck that would be so cool. I'd definitely want to stay around for that :D

Like many people that posted, I also believe that we will experience some sort of large scale population reduction within the not to distant future. Unlike many posters I don't see us being prepared to survive long term off of our planet within this time frame. There are just too many problems to work out. Plus we don't even know if there are any other livable planets out there, or how to reach them if there is.

problems like what? the technology these days have eliminated a lot of problems.. more than anyone can name and it causes some too, but there will always be problems, even with new technology new problems arise like the ozone layer, new viruses, overpopulation, etc. im sure if we knew that we would cause a hole in the ozone layer, we would have come up with ways to avoid it, and ultimately prevent it from ever happening... the point... we focus on the problems that we curently have, and then fix them.. also, i remember reading an article before stating that mars as it is, is not liveable, but they environment could be altered by bringing plants and such and people could be contained in bases which would provide air where people could then live... we have already reached mars with robots.. i think that we do have the technology to send humans there but they cost would be enormouse... plus, the humans would do little more than the bots they already sent there are doing...

Right now we're still blowing up space craft in our own atmosphere. Is it realistic to think that in a couple hundred years we'll be able to master light speed travel and find suitable homes in other solar systems and galaxies? Only if you watch a lot of star wars movies. (EDIT: or robot movies!)

in the late 1800's scientist believed that if u were to exceed (or reach i forget) 30 mph, everyone would be sucked out of the train and die... my neighbors 49cc pocketbike goes 60, and well, hes still alive... also, the adverage life expentance at that time was the mid to late 30's... now, its not that uncommon to live to your 80's, sometimes 90's, and rarely 100's... teachers at the time, were requirted to know EVERYTHING about their subject... id like to see you find someone who knows EVERYTHING in science today... thats just in a little over 100 years... with the use of computers technology etc. the rate we are excelling in technology is faster than it has ever been, and its only getting faster... now i dont believe that we will be going to other solar systems and galaxies any time soon, but definately within our solar system...

Before (and if) mankind is eliminated he will first be reduced down to much smaller numbers. During this period those people remaining will hardly be able or even concerned with trying to fly to other worlds.

now, i dont think it will be reduced to much smaller sizes, the population growth, has already started to decrease in some countries... im not talking about the poor countries with viruses, and lack of money... and example... japan... yes, japan, the country that is the size of california with half the united states population is have a population crises... its decreasing drastically.. why? because of women working... now i dont mean to be sexist or anything, but think about it... the community runs on how much a household makes... back in the days, when only the man worked, the price for homes, cars, etc. was priced to match most of their incomes... once women started working, the incomes were increased a great deal, so it only made sense that everything would be priced to match... the more people make, the more others charge, causing the cost of living to also increase... so, in the end, pretty much everything ends up to where it was before... house holds are making more, but not more proportionally to the community, BUT NOW... whos going to watch the kids? dont get me wrong, because im happy and everything that women can get an education and pursue a career, but this is pretty much just fact... since women started working, they havent had time to have children, wanting to work... the affect is definately more drastic in japan having each woman have an adverage of 1.3 children (when it is required to have at least 2 children for there to be no growth or decrease at all) and an adverage age of their late 30's - 40's when having their first child, but i think that america will be soon to follow... so, i really dont think that over population is going to be a problem in the world any time soon...

Also, Revelation talks of "a mountain coming from the sky" and when we see in the news "scientist say astroid will hit Earth in 2018!" makes you wonder.

im not that religious of a person, as much of it relys on faith.. i have a hard time believing something without strait facts, though i do envy those who believe in it, i dont intend on converting.. any time soon that is... as for the astroid... if it does hit, well probably find a way to survive... then again... if the government really did believe a giant astroid was going to hit and destroy our entire population and the lives taht we cherish so much, i think they would have been coming up with ways to prevent it as soon as they knew... those poor dinosaurs didnt even kno what hit them... and dont forget, that not everything became extinct at the time... i think well be one of those species to survive

by the way.. we could get rid of aids right now if we wanted... confinement, but to the government its "inhumane"... though it wasnt inhumane for some reason to do it to the japanese people during world war II just because they looked different... but i guess everything is ok since they let them go in the end and threw them a couple bucks with no place to go... i guess japanese people are worse than people infected with a deadly virus humping others.... if u were wondering i am japanese, and i dont really believe we should confine the people with hiv's.. but im just saying, if there was really a virus, or some kind of disease that people thought would wipe us all out, we could just confine them, and it would be done... so becoming extinct of that is just out of the question...

i think well be here for a long time, probably over 10,000 years...

if any of the stuff i just said doesnt make sense... just tell me and ill try to rephrase, cause i didnt double check it, and its 1:30 am my time, so im a little tired... i just started reading and got so intrested... damn philosiphizers