Perhaps this has più to do with my history as a microbiologist, but I can't help but set the biggest threat as emerging diseases. We've already seen that influenza can kill a tremendous number of people in an era when air travel was still uncommon, and I think a new variant of the virus that is transmissible from human to human would be a big problem, especially since our vaccination system isn't built to handle large numbers all at once and mutation rates among surface proteins of this particular virus make it difficult to stop.
But that's just a disease we know. Think what would happen if a new disease like Ebola showed up that was airborne. The death toll would be incredible, since Ebola Zaire has a 90% death rate, and vaccinations would be well out of reach, as is the case for most hemorrhagic fevers. What would happen if a prion disease like BSE (mad cow disease) became più transmissible to human beings? And these are just the types of diseases we know. HIV has proven that emerging diseases can completely break the mold of expectations.
posted più di un anno fa
Huh, that's interesting. I was expecting environmental answers, overpopulation, technology... not diseases though. That's terrifying. ._.
All of those certainly matter, though I'd say technology a bit above the rest, especially that of the military sort. Environmental issues definitely matter, but there's a lot of uncertainty as to when the effects are coming and how severe they will be. The same is true of overpopulation.
Does anyone remember the anno 2000 where some lunatic detto all computers would fail because the calendar wouldn't be able to process the anno 2000? There was a massive panic flash then, can te even imagine if that were to happen now?
As of now I think it's man themselves. The fact that songs like Blurred Lines and Bubble Butt are so popolare now days. The fact that objectification, borderline rape, and over-sexualization is so popolare and praised. The fact that songs try to make it sound catchy and cool. I think that's a problem, when such topics are taken so lightly. And I'm not talking about women only, the objectification of men too.
