How many years do you think we have left as a species? Will Earth be our only home or will we colonize other planets? If/when we do die off, do you think it will be our own doing or from an external source (aliens, asteroid, etc)?
Earth will be our only home. We still can’t get cell service everywhere.
we have millions of years left
Just imagine our technological capability in 100 years, much less 1000.
However, I think it's likely we go thru another dark ages at some point. Although with computers and artificial intelligence I'm not really sure how much we would actually lose. But some event is going to wipe out 3/4 of the population - be it a global pandemic, wars over limited resources, an asteroid or super volcano blotting out the sun and causing global famine.
I think in a few hundred years we could see a generational starship - built entirely in outerspace - setting out with 50,000 people to go colonize a planet. Long ways to go, but if we get to something like 10% the speed of light we could conceivably reach a habitable planet after a few centuries. The biggest challenge would probably be that you have to be able to fabricate and refurbish basically every part of the ship. Although I doubt the power requirements to achieve even 10% of the speed of light are remotely practical.
We will probably figure out a way to terraform Mars before that, though (we probably think we already know how to do this). That would at least protect us from an extinction event.
I wonder about this question from time to time.
Then I crack open another beer and forget about it.
posted by BRFI wonder about this question from time to time.
Then I crack open another beer and forget about it.
Pretty much this, I'll leave it up to Neil Degress Tyson and his friends to figure out, because I'll be old by then
posted by Verbal KintPretty much this, I'll leave it up to Neil Degress Tyson and his friends to figure out, because I'll be old by then
He's an interesting fellow.
posted by gutJust imagine our technological capability in 100 years, much less 1000.
However, I think it's likely we go thru another dark ages at some point. Although with computers and artificial intelligence I'm not really sure how much we would actually lose. But some event is going to wipe out 3/4 of the population - be it a global pandemic, wars over limited resources, an asteroid or super volcano blotting out the sun and causing global famine.
I think in a few hundred years we could see a generational starship - built entirely in outerspace - setting out with 50,000 people to go colonize a planet. Long ways to go, but if we get to something like 10% the speed of light we could conceivably reach a habitable planet after a few centuries. The biggest challenge would probably be that you have to be able to fabricate and refurbish basically every part of the ship. Although I doubt the power requirements to achieve even 10% of the speed of light are remotely practical.
We will probably figure out a way to terraform Mars before that, though (we probably think we already know how to do this). That would at least protect us from an extinction event.
Thanks for the extended answer. I'm very curious to see how far the new private space race gets in my lifetime. Space X is doing some pretty cool things right now, I'm not sure about Blue Origin, I haven't heard much news about them lately.
Bleak
"I'm not saying we wouldn't get our hair mussed", to quote Dr. Stangelove. We may have some downfalls, but I think largely, we will be alright.
I was just visiting .. for a few year anyways
posted by Belly35I was just visiting .. for a few year anyways
All great societies eventually fall. Mankind will be around for tens of thousands of miles. World powers will change a number of times,
It isn't until we have some natural disaster that will wipe us out i.e. earth getting engulfed by the sun or meteor bombardments that took out the dinosaurs.
What is interest to me isn't how far technology takes us, but will certain parts of the world never evolve past how humanity lived 300 hundred years ago. When I was overseas I saw whole town's have nothing. Awful water source that they have to carry to their houses...just somethinf out of the biblical era
