Is the world coming to an end?


I don't know when, but recently, I've become suddenly fascinated with the next couple of years in humanities life. Why? Because these next few years may have the power to decide whether humanity goes on, or is lost forever. In fact, I take back my "may". I believe so firmly in this, that I know it will happen; and soon.

I will walk you through the predicted (and so far they're looking to be true) cases that are going to affect all of humanity, and seemingly around the same time. First of all, the 'War on Terrorism'. Things have seemed to have gone from bad, to worse. Now some would disagree but let's face it, any war on this scale takes a toll on all of humanity no matter what the outcome. Things are heating up in many places; there is just too much tension. It's not good. Between Iraq and Afghanistan, Lebanon and Israel, and now some U.S. politicians are beginning to worry about China! - Saying they are increasing their military power immensely. The U.S. seems to be trying to be the world police. But if I'm not mistaken, many European countries (including the UK, and France) are becoming less and less happy with our involvement in this War on Terrorism - thus causing more paranoia and angry nations. With many countries armed with a nuclear arsenal - vast numbers can die. A nuclear version of World War 2 would be catastrophic.


Then there's Global Warming. It's sad, but Global Warming has almost become a joke. Although with actual scientific evidence emerging - people are waking up and realizing the terrors of this: Extreme weather changes, ocean water raising, e.t.c... Believe it or not, Global Warming can lead to the next Ice Age, fast. Let me explain what global warming is exactly. Global warming is the raising average climate temperature around the world. The Earth's average surface temperature is raising exponentially. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change state that between now and the year 2100, the average temperature of the earth will raise from 2 to 11 degrees farenheit; and that's an optimistical estimate. Why is the temperature of the Earth increasing so rapidly? Due to the Greenhouse effect. To put it simple, the greenhouse effect states that, the more gas in the atmosphere, the longer it will hold the heat taken from the sun's radiation; thus more time to absorb more rays and accumulate a higher temperature. Carbon Dioxide (Co2) is the main cause of the increase in global warming. Think car exhaust. We humans like it warm though, what's 11 degrees going to hurt, you say? That 11 degrees is only the global average increase in temperature, but it affects the ice caps at the poles. The poles' ice shelves are melting at an increased rate. The main oceans are connected by main water currents. These currents circulate the majority of Earth's water; bringing cold water to warmer areas, and bringing warm water to cold areas. This creates a balanced, equilibrium state; which keeps the land temperatures stable. To move, these currents require wind, the Earth's rotation, and the Moon's gravity. The reason the cold and warm water circulate is due to temperature, and salinity. Why? Density. Cold, and saltier ocean water is more dense then warm, more dilluted water. As warm water from the Equator moves towards the poles via surface currents (because warm water is lighter, it travels on top), that warm water is being replaced by cold water from the poles to be warmed up (Denser, so at the lower depths of the ocean), and then sent back up to the poles to be cooled down, creating a neverending cycle of a balanced climate on Earth. If the ice shelves melt at the North and South pole, two things will happen: They will bring more and more fresh water into the ocean, dilluting it of its salt water, thus causing the ocean currents to stop. If this happens, the warm and cold water will not circulate, creating extreme climate changes. Perhaps the next Ice Age. The second symptom of this will be the overall height of the oceans' water will be increased. Scientists currently are estimating the Oceans to rise about 20 feet by the year 2100. This will affect millions. Cities such as New York, London, and Tokyo and many others, will be underwater.

Disease is fairly self explanatory. With scientists afraid that killer bacteria is becoming resistant to antibiotics (due to natural selection), and flu viruses such as the bird flu (Avian Influenza, or the human contagious subtype: H5N1) emerging - add that to air travel, and you could get a world wide pandemic version of the Black Death. Scientists don't say it may happen. They say it will happen and soon. They expect billions to die if something is not done. As of January '07, about 150 human deaths and more than three times that number in total cases, have been the cause of H5N1; with the majority of these deaths happening in only the past two-three years.

Oil consumption. Worldwide, we consume an estimated 82 million barrels of oil per day. Each barrel is filled with 42 gallons of oil. That's about 3.4 billion (I cannot put enough emphasis on billion) gallons of oil. If oil were to run out, production and mobility would come almost to a stand-still; thus causing the economy to as well. This alone, would by no means cause extinction of humanity, but it would drastically reduce our chances of recovery or prevention from other disasters happening at the same time.

There are many other disasters - although far less likely, but also unpredictable.

Many say, during the last few days of the year 2012, will something happen. I believe in this as well. What exactly? Besides the predictions of all the previous catastrophes stated above, there is the supermassive volcano under Yellowstone National Park, which has only been recently discovered due to its increased activity. Scientists have claimed that its eruptions in the past have layered the entire North American continent in ash. This would cause a nuclear winter, and cause most plants to die in North America. The biggest 2012 prediction of them all is that the Mayan Calendar ends on either December 21st, or the 23rd (scientists argue which date is correct), and the Mayan prophocies state that we will head into a new era. This could mean the end of the world, but other texts suggest a shift in conciousness, world peace, and even psychic abilities. Another extreme predictions state that the world's superpowers will engage in nuclear war, and then extra terrestrial beings will intervene and stop it all. Another prediction, the Prophecy of the Popes, states that there is only one more Pope after the the current (Pope Benedict XVI). Described only as "Peter the Roman", and then the Catholic Church will fall. Apparently this prediction has been relatively true up to this point.

The optimistical viewpoint is that it would be extremely difficult and unlikely for all of humanity to go extinct. So saying it's the 'end of the world' is misleading. The pessimistic viewpoint is that billions will die. It is rough saying this, but from an agnostic, philosophical point of view, death is exciting. Terrifying and exciting at the same time. We all must die eventually and very few of us would want to live forever; so personally I'd like to go in an epic way instead of death by cancer. I hope this all does not happen, but I expect it. The problem is we all avoid the truth in which we do not want; hoping the inevitable outcome will just somehow disappear and not happen. Most of us already know what fate awaits us, but it's a battle within the mind to believe it or not. Why do we do this? Because it would be so hard to fix or prevent the disasters coming. Like a gory scene in a movie, you close your eyes instinctively or look away (some don't, but you get what I mean) so you won't remember what just occured as easily - you do this with the horrible events happening around you. You 'shut your eyes' to the reality of things and hope to forget and continue walking blindly on an unstable path that we call, life.

The problem is, this is not the right way to think. There will come a point where you will have to face the facts, but by then, it will be too late to do anything. Instead of ignoring all the bad things that you don't want to happen now - happen later and more harshly, act now and lessen their damage in the long run. Do it for yourselves, do it for the people you know and love, do it for the people you don't know and love, and do it for Earth.

but no, we're gonna be around for a very long time to come IMO.....

Ben

some shits going down in the next 5-10 yrs i know it.