Climate evolution and the future of mankind
Watch this postSince it's beginning the earth's physical and atmospheric makeup has been in a constant state of evolution. There have been ice ages and periods of warming, as well periods of higher and/or lower oxygen content. There have been volcano's and earthquakes(far exceeding anything we experience today),as well asteroids impacting the earth, and this all has served to change earths makeup allowing for the existence of differing life forums, and when they have reached their potential, send them into extinction, paving the way for a species more suitable for the changing environment. What we have over looked is that the earth itself has a lifespan, does that mean the end of mankind as we know it ,opening the door for a more advanced species? Is earth just a starting point for the human race, is man's future out amongst the stars living in self sustainable colonies??? According to a study published in September, the earth can support life for another 1.75 billion years providing nuclear holocaust, an asteroid ,or some other disaster doesn't intervene. Stephen Hawkins(a noted theoretical physicist) said in a a lecture on black holes for BBC such a disaster is imminent ,that it is but a matter of time and we must tread lightly for it will be at least a hundred years before we have advanced to such capabilities technologically. Even if there appears no disasters the earth will in the next 1.75 -3.25 billion years travel out of the solar systems habitable zone into the hot zone. Is colonizing space the first stage to extinction of mankind as we know it, allowing for a human species more suitable for life amongst the cosmos???
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The earth has to be our 'starting point' as there is nowhere else we can be at this point in our history, but where we go from here depends on our ability to conquer space, time, gravity and whether, or not, we can produce breathable air on another planet, and will it support human life indefinitely?
I don't understand how anyone, even Stephen Hawking ((a noted theoretical physicist and anti-Semite) can predict what might happen in billions of years from now. I much prefer the predictions of Prof Brian Cox, who has explained, how over billions of trillions of years the universe will slowly and gradually die, as stars burn out, one by one until the universe is plunged into a cold, dark nothingness.
On the plus side, we won't be here, so why worry, just enjoy the years we have left.
Anytime one looks into the future(or anything there is no existing proof of) ,one can but theorize that which may occur, which alludes to the fact that Stephen Hawkins is a "theoretical physicist', and his theories are but one amongst many, including Prof Brian Cox's theories.
Having said such, man's history of evolution and adaptation is factual and speaks for itself as well as his intellectual evolution, which has led to his technological advances. Evolution of environment,both natural and technical, forces evolution of life forms; this is historical fact.
As man is forced out into the cosmos ,his technology will evolve to create an environment ,as well his physical being, to adapt to environmental changes. Now if one were to suggest this is all theoretical, one would be absolutely correct. Then again, prediction of anything past this existing moment; is theoretical.