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_POSTED_BY desik
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Saturday, 26 July 2008 |
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Last weekend researchers at the Future of Humanity Institute at the University of Oxford discussed the risk of global mega catastrophes , sudden catastrophic events which could bring about the extinction of humanity , massive loss of life or at least societal collapse and concluded we could probably all sleep soundly in our beds at nights as we have most of the known threats covered. The discussion excluded 'slow burner' threats such as global warming and famine which may in large part account for the general optimism. .
The experts from a wide range of disciplines concluded that the threat of a bioterror or nuclear attack had actually diminished in recent years due to reduced availability of materials and better controls and detection methods .The threat from astroids was thought to be minimal too with NASA busy keeping track on the skies to make sure we dont go the way of the dinosaurs. The threat from the H5n1 strain of influenza was still considered very much real due to the mobility of modern populations but the gathering was told Governments were prepared for the worse case scenario and that for the first time in history we were in the position to stop an outbreak. Views about the threat from Nanotechnology and research and development in Artificial Intelligence (AI) were not so upbeat as they are less quantifiable due to the infancy of Nanotechnology and the fact that intelligence is the most powerful force scientists have ever tampered with.
By and large though the gathering of experts thought we shouldnt worry so much and was told that the reason we do worry an awful lot about such disasters occuring is because, relatively, we have little else to worry about nowadays. Obviously the global credit crunch , oil and food crises and threat of inflation havent made an impact on carefree academia yet but what worries me most is when scientists confidently reassure us that there is nothing to worry about.
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Last Updated ( Friday, 01 August 2008 )
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