Greatest threat that could lead to extinction?

[Sir Suomi]

I personally think a bio-chemical weapon is the greatest threat. Imagine, a terrorist developes a virus, uncurable, very contagious, almost impossible to detect, and very deadly. He infects himself, and goes to a huge airport, where diesease can spread like wildfire. Pretty scary stuff.

[West Coast Sheriff]

Hmmmm? Nuclear war USA England and France vs N. Korea China and USSR( well now I guess there called russia)
Idk but that's my best guess.

[Cicero]

I agree with you OP, that definitely would lead to extinction. But I dont believe that it would happen anytime soon.

[Gigablue]

There are many different ways we could go extinct. I think the most likely is a pandemic. This could be either intentional or unintentional. Someone could foreseeably create a weaponized strain of a disease that is highly virulent and trasnmissible, with low visibility and thus detectablity.

We could also create a pandemic unintentionally. This could happen with an antibiotic resistant strain of a disease that we have inadvertently created. There are already diseases that are resistant to all known antibiotics. If one of these becomes a pandemic, it could become very deadly.

We could also go extinct due to a nuclear war. I don't think any country would be crazy enough to start one, but if one happens, it would lead to the extinction of many species, and potentially humans.

[Sir Suomi]

There are many different ways we could go extinct. I think the most likely is a pandemic. This could be either intentional or unintentional. Someone could foreseeably create a weaponized strain of a disease that is highly virulent and trasnmissible, with low visibility and thus detectablity.

We could also create a pandemic unintentionally. This could happen with an antibiotic resistant strain of a disease that we have inadvertently created. There are already diseases that are resistant to all known antibiotics. If one of these becomes a pandemic, it could become very deadly.

We could also go extinct due to a nuclear war. I don't think any country would be crazy enough to start one, but if one happens, it would lead to the extinction of many species, and potentially humans.

Good point. As for the nuclear part, I also agree. But still, I almost wish we could take out a few of those "undesirable countries", such as North Korea, Iran, etc.

[West Coast Sheriff]

What about an asteroid hitting the earth?

[Gigablue]

Good point. As for the nuclear part, I also agree. But still, I almost wish we could take out a few of those "undesirable countries", such as North Korea, Iran, etc.

Sadly there are the few countries that threaten everyone else with the threat of a nuclear attack. I don't know if attacking them is best, since you might just provoke them.

What about an asteroid hitting the earth?

It depends a lot on the size. A small one wouldn't do that much, but a large one could provoke a mass extinction not unlike the one 65 million years ago, when the dinosaurs went extinct.

[Manjusri]

Most likely something that's caused by war. Whether it be an airborne pathogen, nuclear missile, or something crazy.

Like that stephen king book when the radio waves take over people's minds and make them go on a killing spree. Yeah.

[HalleyJ]

Hmmmm? Nuclear war USA England and France vs N. Korea China and USSR( well now I guess there called russia)
Idk but that's my best guess.

Australia has an alliance with china, so if amercia went to war with N. korea than china would be on Australias side and Australia has an alliance with america, so... yeah... It is going to be hard knowing what is good Asain and what is bad Asain.

[Jean Poutine]

A retard in the White House.

[MisterSix]

Why would a terrorist do that?
Theres only one type of person that would/could do that, a mad scientist.
Terrorists fight for a reason, most of the time its 'cause their Govt. is too left or right wing. If they release a virus that will kill everyone in the world just to topple their government... why... its just stupid.

[huginnmuninn]

Australia has an alliance with china, so if amercia went to war with N. korea than china would be on Australias side and Australia has an alliance with america, so... yeah... It is going to be hard knowing what is good Asain and what is bad Asain.

i can't understand what this is saying, can you reword it?

I think we are going to cause our own extinction or at least cause the death of the majority of people.

[Manjusri]

Why would a terrorist do that?
Theres only one type of person that would/could do that, a mad scientist.
Terrorists fight for a reason, most of the time its 'cause their Govt. is too left or right wing. If they release a virus that will kill everyone in the world just to topple their government... why... its just stupid.

It wouldn't be intentional... They would release a much more powerful virus/missile/whatever than they thought they did.

"Mad scientists" do work with terrorist organizations sometimes. Like when Gerhard Schrader released sarin nerve gas in WWII. Although his chemical warfare was controlled, if someone were to make an airborne virus, it would get out of hand very quickly.

[Azunite]

The lack of bacon. /amerikanz

[MisterSix]

It wouldn't be intentional... They would release a much more powerful virus/missile/whatever than they thought they did.

"Mad scientists" do work with terrorist organizations sometimes. Like when Gerhard Schrader released sarin nerve gas in WWII. Although his chemical warfare was controlled, if someone were to make an airborne virus, it would get out of hand very quickly.

1) Nazis were not terrorists
2) He was completely sane
3) This type of chemical cant and never will be able to get out of control

Someone working for their country to make chemical warfare more effective is a lot different to a terrorist making a virus that will kill everyone.

But the thing that I don't understand, why would anyone make a virus to kill everyone in the world

[Manjusri]

1) Nazis were not terrorists
2) He was completely sane
3) This type of chemical cant and never will be able to get out of control

Someone working for their country to make chemical warfare more effective is a lot different to a terrorist making a virus that will kill everyone.

But the thing that I don't understand, why would anyone make a virus to kill everyone in the world

1. I was not implying nazis were terrorists.

Theres only one type of person that would/could do that, a mad scientist.

2. You were referring to mad scientists.

3. Yup, i even said it was controlled.

A terrorist group would not intentionally create a virus that would kill everyone in the world. It would be due to a lack of understanding of an airborne pathogen - if that situation were to even happen. Sarin nerve gas isn't an airborne pathogen, therefore it would never get out of control.

[Jess]

Could a decline in resources (like running out) lead to extinction? I think so...

[Sir Suomi]

Could a decline in resources (like running out) lead to extinction? I think so...

It's been said the human race at its current rate will run out of resources within about 90 years.

[Human]

Oil running out :)

[TheBigUnit]

Hmmmm? Nuclear war USA England and France vs N. Korea China and USSR( well now I guess there called russia)
Idk but that's my best guess.

NKorea wont really do anything, China wont risk anything (their economy is still growing) but why would they attack?, russia has nothing to gain nor do they have a strong enough relationship with china they r if not rivals for certain matters, france usa and uk has nothing to gain except maybe for reasources, but this isnt the 19th century for wars like this its stupid to war with large nations as we see in WWII.....all this being said currently but who knows the future

Good point. As for the nuclear part, I also agree. But still, I almost wish we could take out a few of those "undesirable countries", such as North Korea, Iran, etc.

the world outrage would be crazy tho the usa would be a bit happier, btw both countries have soo many innocent ppl, why kill them for the mistakes of their leaders?

Australia has an alliance with china, so if amercia went to war with N. korea than china would be on Australias side and Australia has an alliance with america, so... yeah... It is going to be hard knowing what is good Asain and what is bad Asain.

Austrailia would rather stay with america espeically seeing how china is bullying the pacific, thts a reason why like 10000 american marines are being stationed in austrailia

A retard in the White House.

very likely much more than a wacko in iran or NKorea

The lack of bacon. /amerikanz

maybe haha

[Jupiter]

a massive ejaculation..


ok i'm totally kidding. i don't think it'd be easy for worldwide extinction but i think that if there was a HUGE earthquake that just happened to be going on by the 7 tectonic plates, then they would either be killed by the impact or the tsunami which would probably happen afterwards.

[xDarkAngelx]

Personally I think either a nuclear war or from the result of an asteroid hitting the earth at some point.

[Sir Suomi]

a massive ejaculation..

Just pray Chuck Norris decides to never masturbate.... :D

[Syvelocin]

I'd imagine we are the greatest threat to ourselves. But other than that, death of the sun if we make it that far.

[Human]

Oh, in 500 million years there isn't enough co2 to support plant life on Earth so oxygen runs out

[Sir Suomi]

Oh, in 500 million years there isn't enough co2 to support plant life on Earth so oxygen runs out

Well then, we're shit out luck, arn't we? :P

[Jean Poutine]

very likely much more than a wacko in iran or NKorea

Wackos are already there. Nothing is happened.

When you guys elected a retard (Bush), then we saw what happened.

[Human]

Well then, we're shit out luck, arn't we? :P
and then a few hundred million years after that the suns increased luminosity burns off the oceans

[PerpetualImperfexion]

Planet Nubia will crash into the Earth. (period)

[Mob Boss]

I think biowarfare for sure. And if not, then ourselves - humans - polluting and using up all resources necessary to thrive.

[Magical]

The only possible way THE ENTIRE human race would become extinct...is us nuking.

The WHOLE PLANET. ALL OF IT.

Biochemical warfare?

Live underground, scrub the air that you get in of ALL life.

Asteroid?

We have detection systems. http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/risk/index_d.html We can then nuke the asteroids, or send a spaceship along side the asteroid to nudge it out of a collision path.

Alienzzz?

How would they get here?

I'm rooting for wormhole travel via black hole as much as the next man, as well as light speed travel via the manipulation of the Higgs field but....unlikely.

[Jackerlus]

I'm pretty sure we wouldn't get wiped out by an asteroid because, like magical said, we would be able to detect it and if it wasn't detected then that is one sly asteroid. A nuclear war would not wipe put all of us. Like in the Fallout series, there would always be that few that survived. In fact that will probably apply to a lot of potential ways to wipe out the human race. Most likely overpopulation and then a lack of natural resources/food.

[PerpetualImperfexion]

By the time we run out of resources we will likely be terraforming populating other planets.

[Sir Suomi]

By the time we run out of resources we will likely be terraforming populating other planets.

I'm guessing the abillity to do that won't come within the next 100 years or so, so we better start conserving, or we will run out of resources by then at our current increasing population rate.

[The Tardis Corgi]

I think a nuclear war wouldn't end humanity
but send it back a few thousand years...

"If WW3 is fort with nuclear weapons, WW4
will be fought with sticks and stones"