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)?
Ironman92
Administrator
Ironman92
Administrator
Earth will be our only home. We still can’t get cell service everywhere.
Spock
Senior Member
Spock
Senior Member
we have millions of years left
gut
Senior Member
gut
Senior Member
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.
BRF
Senior Member
BRF
Senior Member
I wonder about this question from time to time.
Then I crack open another beer and forget about it.
Verbal Kint
Senior Member
Verbal Kint
Senior Member
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
CenterBHSFan
333 - I'm only half evil
CenterBHSFan
333 - I'm only half evil
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.
justincredible
Honorable Admin
justincredible
Honorable Admin
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.
ernest_t_bass
12th Son of the Lama
ernest_t_bass
12th Son of the Lama
Bleak
ptown_trojans_1
Moderator
ptown_trojans_1
Moderator
"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.
Belly35
Elderly Intellectual
Belly35
Elderly Intellectual
I was just visiting .. for a few year anyways
thavoice
Senior Member
thavoice
Senior Member
posted by Belly35I was just visiting .. for a few year anyways
thavoice
Senior Member
thavoice
Senior Member
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