6 Collision with an Asteroid

The Chicxulub asteroid is theorized to have caused the extinction of the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. If such an asteroid strikes the Earth again, there is a possibility that this time, humanity will go extinct.

Sixty-six million years ago, a 10 kilometer-wide asteroid struck the Earth’s surface. Upon impact, it caused a cataclysmic end of 75 percent of all life, including the dinosaurs. Asteroids still continue to hit the Earth. Usually, they are elephant-sized, which, on an average, hit once a year. Bigger asteroids measuring 25 ft across hit the Earth around every four years. However, these asteroids are relatively smaller in size, and so they do not cause any visible damage.

Scientists have said that this does not rule out the fact that the Earth may be hit by a giant asteroid. An asteroid of over 6.2 miles in size is capable of wiping off life from the Earth. The biggest threat is from the star, Gliese 710. It will come near the Earth in 1.3 million years. This will push asteroids from outer space into our solar system. These asteroids will have the potential to cause a catastrophic impact on the Earth. (source)

7 Antibiotic Apocalypse

Evolution is turning bacteria into “superbugs,” which have developed resistance to many traditional medicines. If they start mutating and evolving at a rapid rate, then the smallest of paper cuts would kill the healthiest individuals, creating a doomsday scenario.

Before the discovery of the first antibiotic, penicillin, a simple cut could lead to a fatal infection. Since that discovery, our life span has increased by a number of years. But owing to the over-use of antibiotics, bacteria are becoming resistant to their effect. These antibiotic-resistant bacteria are called “superbugs.” Once they become immune to the last group of antibiotics, that would spell a doomsday scenario. Our health conditions would go back to the Victorian era, where a toothache could potentially kill people. (source)

8 Mega Tsunami

About 73,000 years ago, a 1,000-foot wave swept across the Earth. In the future, a mega-tsunami of this magnitude could be the ultimate end for every organism on land, including humans.

Seventy-three thousand years ago, the Fogo volcano at Cape Verde triggered a tsunami with a wave nearly 1,000 feet in height. The volcano had suddenly become active in 2014 when it erupted in November. Experts fear that another powerful eruption could cause a mega-tsunami across the Atlantic ocean. According to lead researcher Dr. Ricardo Ramalho, a wave twice the size of Big Ben could wreak untold destruction. The tsunami expert Professor Bill McGuire had stated that mega-tsunami events occur once every 10,000 years. That’s why he has urged caution. (source)

9 Nuclear Holocaust

Keeping in mind today’s large nuclear arsenals, all we need is a few nuclear strikes to wreak havoc on the Earth.

As of 2016, there are 15,000 nuclear weapons on Earth. The statistics do not end here as every nuclear country is striving to modernize its nuclear arsenal. According to some experts, this increases the risk of nuclear proliferation, nuclear terrorism, and accidental nuclear war.

While nuclear strikes could cause vast destruction in some regions, the main concern is its after effect. The nuclear winter after a nuclear war would change the climate. It would make the atmosphere extremely cold. Next, the ultraviolet radiation and crop failure would threaten the existence of the whole of humanity. (1,2)

10 Artificial Intelligence

Elon Musk had stated AI can take down the internet, and according to Stephen Hawking, AI can be a threat to humanity when it gets too clever.

For a long time, advancement in the field of artificial intelligence has been a topic of debate among scientists and tech wizards. According to Elon Musk, humans should take care while attempting to make smarter robots. He also states that he is not against technology. However,  he wants people to keep the machines on the same level as us; otherwise, it could lead to an AI takeover.

Stephen Hawking, too, shares the same view. He has warned that artificially intelligent machines could kill us because they are too clever. As Professor Hawking said, “The real risk with AI isn’t malice but competence. A super-intelligent AI would be extremely good at accomplishing its goals, and if those goals aren’t aligned with ours, we’re in trouble”. (1,2)

Stephen Hawking Says Humanity won’t survive without leaving Earth. In fact, human beings may have less than 200 years to figure out how to escape our planet.