Buzz
The end of the world is inevitable. It can be defined in several ways—whether it's the collapse of human civilization, the extinction of all living organisms, or the obliteration of the planet itself—but no matter the perspective, it’s all going to unravel at some point. The only uncertainty is the timing.
Throughout history, countless dates have been proposed for the apocalypse. To date, none have materialized with anything resembling the expected catastrophic events. However, unlike those more mythical predictions, mainstream science has identified a number of potential scenarios that could trigger the end of our world. From microscopic threats to advanced technology or space missiles, here are ten ways that scientists predict the world could come to an end.
10. The Sun Turns Against the Plants...
...and eventually, the plants will turn against us. The most reliable predictions about our sun’s future suggest that in roughly 600 million years, it will grow bright enough to disrupt the carbonate-silicate cycle on Earth. This vital process involving silicon and carbon is essential for regulating carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, and its inevitable breakdown will cause these levels to drop significantly.
Plants will become unable to carry out photosynthesis, which means they will no longer produce the oxygen that is essential for our survival. Nearly all forms of animal life, as well as most ecosystems, will face extinction. So yes, when plants turn on us, they won’t have any other option, but that won’t matter much to any humans left on Earth as they suffocate... or perhaps evolve into intelligent gas creatures. That’s what I imagine I would do.
9. The Arrival of Comets
Around 66 million years ago, a comet or asteroid collided with Earth, wiping out about 75% of all life, including the mighty non-avian dinosaurs. And more comets and asteroids are on their way, sometimes alarmingly close. In 2020, an asteroid called 2020 VT4 passed just 230 miles away from Earth (for comparison, the moon is on average 238,900 miles away).
While asteroids are dangerous, they generally come from relatively nearby, usually the asteroid belt just past Mars. Comets, on the other hand, often travel from much farther out, meaning they gain tremendous speed as they approach. These ‘dirty snowballs’ are difficult to spot because they’re dark and don’t emit much light until they reach a heat source, which causes them to release their characteristic bright, gaseous trails. If one large enough—just tens of miles in diameter—strikes Earth, humanity will face extinction, much like the dinosaurs did. That is, until 66 million years later when a cheerful, bearded squid man plays squid-god and revives us for his theme park, Holocene Park.
8. Artificial Intelligence (Advanced Incineration)
Humanity may not survive long enough to witness a catastrophic planetary collision. We might not even make it through the next few decades. That’s the belief of many scientists and futurists, and the cause? Good old-fashioned Terminators. The term 'technological singularity' refers to a variety of potential scenarios where technological progress becomes uncontrollable, but the most famous—and arguably the most terrifying—is the concept of an 'intelligence explosion.'
In essence, once we create an artificial general intelligence that surpasses human intellect, it will possess the ability to generate an even more advanced intelligence, which in turn will create yet another more powerful intellect, and so on, continuing until the laws of physics limit further advancements. This would quickly render humanity obsolete—or worse, a nuisance to be eradicated. And that’s when we cue the appearance of a naked Arnold Schwarzenegger.
7. The Old Malthusian Catastrophe
In 1798, the economist and sociologist Thomas Malthus proposed a simple argument: our population will grow faster than our ability to produce food. This imbalance will lead to famine, global conflict, and eventually a population collapse, wiping out most of humanity. This scenario is known as the Malthusian Catastrophe.
Since Malthus first introduced his hypothesis, it has been fiercely contested by various groups, many of whom point to technological advancements that have enabled large-scale food production. Nevertheless, the concept has proven somewhat accurate. From Malthus’s time to the present, the global human population has grown by a factor of eight, and billions of people in numerous countries live in chronic hunger. Whether a global collapse will happen remains uncertain, but for many, access to food is no longer a guarantee, and this issue grows more pressing with each passing year.
6. Gamma Ray Bursts, a.k.a. Planet Hulk
Gamma-ray bursts, the most intense and energetic electromagnetic events detected in the universe, are no joke. These violent explosions occur when a supermassive star collapses into a black hole or neutron star, or when two neutron stars collide. Gamma-ray bursts release so much energy that in just a few seconds, they unleash the same amount of energy that the sun emits throughout its entire lifetime. Yeah, it’s that powerful.
Fortunately, we've only observed gamma-ray bursts in distant galaxies, far enough away that their effects have not impacted us beyond a faint light. However, many scientists believe a gamma-ray burst may have been responsible for the Late Ordovician mass extinction, the second-largest extinction event in Earth's history. If it were to happen again... well, let's hope it results in an entire planet filled with Hulks and Hulk-like animals. It would totally be worth it just to witness a Hulk-sloth.
5. A Super-eruption
No, we’re not talking about an epic Eddie Van Halen guitar solo, but rather a volcanic super-eruption. According to the Geological Society: 'It’s not a matter of ‘if’—it’s a matter of ‘when…’.' That’s because these massive volcanic eruptions—which only earn the title of ‘super’ if they release at least 240 cubic miles of volcanic material—occur regularly.
Over 60 super-eruptions have been recorded, each one potentially capable of causing species-level extinctions and triggering their own little ice ages. Geologists believe there are even more eruptions yet to be discovered. While Yellowstone poses little threat in our lifetime, it might bring ruin to many Americans and Canadians thousands of years from now—much to the amusement of people living in European tourist towns.
4. Diatoms, Emphasis on the Die
Diatoms are a type of algae known to the general public for their colorful, geometric cell walls. To scientists, diatoms are vital for producing up to half of the planet’s oxygen each year and for making up as much as half of the ocean’s biomass. They’re pretty crucial. So, it would be a major problem if their behavior were to change in any way.
Joe Kirschvink, a geobiologist at Caltech, has raised a troubling possibility: if climate changes cause diatoms to lose access to water (which they need to produce oxygen), they might turn to abundant salt. Using this salt, they could produce lethal chlorine gas. Given their immense numbers, this could swiftly wipe out most life on Earth.
3. The Snowball, i.e., The Whole Catastrophe at Once
Arguably the most terrifying scenario of all... is a combination of nearly everything happening at once. Even worse, many scientists believe this is what will actually occur. And soon.
Climate change will drastically impact weather patterns over the coming decades, leading to increasingly erratic and extreme conditions. Meanwhile, rising average temperatures will foster the growth of more disease-causing microbes. Many plant and pollinator species, such as bees and bats, will have perished (with bats falling victim to a deadly fungal disease), making food even more scarce as populations continue to rise. Ocean acidification and pollution will reduce the number of photosynthetic organisms, and various ecosystems will be thrown into chaos. In short, the most immediate and likely cause of the world’s end will be a slow, subtle, multi-faceted assault by... humanity itself.
2. Fungal Invasion... Among Our Graves
Not merely a plot device in *The Last of Us*, a global fungal pandemic is very much within the realm of possibility. One particular genus of fungus, Cordyceps, is notorious for zombifying its host animals. Another fungal group, the chytrids, is already contributing to the global extinction of all frog species.
The problem with fungal diseases is that they remain relatively under-studied compared to bacterial and viral diseases—and we’ve all seen the devastation those can cause. Whether it's literal zombies or just a slow and painful death, fungal diseases are anything but 'fun.' Just ‘gal,’ I suppose.
1. Stable Orbit, Schmable Schmorbit
As unsettling as it may sound, Earth’s orbit around the sun isn’t as stable as we’d like to believe. Over the course of our planet’s history, it has shifted, and it will continue to do so until the end. This shift could even bring about the world’s end. And, if the orbit of any other planet were to change, it could trigger the same result.
Jupiter behaves much like a mini-sun in our solar system, with its enormous gravity influencing nearby planets and celestial bodies. This gravitational force can be beneficial, as it helps draw asteroids away from the inner solar system. But it also has its darker side: it’s theorized that Jupiter’s powerful pull might one day draw the small planet Mercury so close that it could crash into the sun, Venus, or even Earth itself.
