Apocalyptic Earth

[Fruity Insanity]

So, how do you guys think the world will end?

WWIII with nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons? (i.e. "weapons of mass destruction.")

Overpopulation? Depleting oxygen? No resources?

An ice age? Some super strong earthquake?

Meteor? Alien invasion? Solar flares?

Or do you guys think that Earth will live until... the sun's light intensifies, evaporating our atmosphere. In like, 2 billion years or something. And then the sun becomes a giant star! While the Earth becomes our new "Mercury."

In which case, do you think people will be able to continue to live?

2 billion years is a long time.

Could people develop some sort of device to move Earth back a a bit back? To, like, where Jupiter or Saturn is or something? Then we'll have about 3 billion more years before the sun dies and (presumably) collapses into a white dwarf star. We'll have 3 billion years to make something to either:

a) Re-fuel the sun. (Somehow.)

b) Move Earth to a new solar system. (Somehow.)

c) Move mankind to a new planet capable of sustaining life. (Somehow.)

or

d) Living in some spaceship like in Wall-E... somehow...

e) Make Star Wars reality.

[spoiler=Religious stuff most of you probably don't care about...]Or alternatively, for Christians, we could believe that Jesus will, indeed, come and take us to our Father in Heaven...

Let's just stick to the non-religious apocalyptic scenarios...

Edited March 12, 2013 by FranticforFreeFruityFruit

[Bluedoom]

The world will end in an alien invasion but I will be one of the few who survive because I will unlock my hidden potential and gain supernatural powers.

Option number two would be to refuel the Sun. I think this is totally possible and within our limits.

[Freohr Datia]

I think it'll end in a way that nobody would ever guess~!

Also the only way I could think moving back from the sun would work is if we can do it at the right rate...

Also what if the sudden change in acceleration throws everything off???

Edited March 12, 2013 by Freohr Datia

[Esau of Isaac]

For something to kill all of humanity it would have to be something very fast that we have no ability to adapt to through science. I don't think we have anything we can see coming on a collision course with the planet, so that leaves out some ridiculous MAD scenario with super-nukes or some kind of superflu-style sickness.

For the record if by the time the Sun expands to danger levels for Earth itself we haven't conquered and gently made love to every law of the universe, our species would deserve to be wiped out by it. I mean come on, billions of years here. We should all be Q by then

[Fruity Insanity]

I think it'll end in a way that nobody would ever guess~!

Also the only way I could think moving back from the sun would work is if we can do it at the right rate...

Also what if the sudden change in acceleration throws everything off???

We're supposed to do it... SOMEHOW!!! >_>

I mean, like Esau of Issac said, billions of years is enough time to figure something out, right?

[Bagfisch]

some kind of superflu-style sickness.

Them zambies

[Esau of Isaac]

Nah I mean like if the Black Death had a baby with the Spanish flu and then turned up to 11.

Edited March 12, 2013 by Esau of Isaac

[Freohr Datia]

We're supposed to do it... SOMEHOW!!! >_>

I mean, like Esau of Issac said, billions of years is enough time to figure something out, right?

No matter what we do it'll throw off the acceleration xb It changes our direction, that's that.

I wonder what effects that'd have. Probably mess around with plate tectonics and cause a gazillion earthquakes and eruptions (I'm not a real scientist at all so I have no clue what I'm talking about, but I'd imagine the sudden change in direction will mess around with the earth) And what if people on the wrong side of the planet start flying off??? That'd be no fuuuuuuuuuun and idk if we could all fit on one side unless our population is way way down by then. Hiding in some bunker or something could potentially be dangerous, idk how much can stay put after a shift, and what if it makes underground caves collapse? Those probably wouldn't be a safe bet either (but still, idk how those would go under this kind of influence)

[Acacia Sgt]

When it comes to Apocalyptic events, my money's on two scenarios.

1) A second Carrington Event that plunges humanity into anarchy until all the Nuclear Plants in the world go Fukushima on us and we slowly die when all the radiation gets to us.

Or...

2) The Yellowstone Caldera blows up, insta-killing most of North America while the rest either barely manage to survive or they slowly die out.

I'm not that picky when it comes to it.

[Fruity Insanity]

No matter what we do it'll throw off the acceleration xb It changes our direction, that's that.

I wonder what effects that'd have. Probably mess around with plate tectonics and cause a gazillion earthquakes and eruptions (I'm not a real scientist at all so I have no clue what I'm talking about, but I'd imagine the sudden change in direction will mess around with the earth) And what if people on the wrong side of the planet start flying off??? That'd be no fuuuuuuuuuun and idk if we could all fit on one side unless our population is way way down by then. Hiding in some bunker or something could potentially be dangerous, idk how much can stay put after a shift, and what if it makes underground caves collapse? Those probably wouldn't be a safe bet either (but still, idk how those would go under this kind of influence)

Science will allow us to fuse and separate our tectonic plates at will!!! (Somehow!)

And we'll have some device that can weaken or intensify Earth's gravity! (Somehow!)

And we can attach huge rockets to Earth to move it like a ship! (Somehow!)

/smacked. *STOP SAYING "SOMEHOW"!!!

When it comes to Apocalyptic events, my money's on two scenarios.

1) A second Carrington Event that plunges humanity into anarchy until all the Nuclear Plants in the world go Fukushima on us and we slowly die when all the radiation gets to us.

Or...

2) The Yellowstone Caldera blows up, insta-killing most of North America while the rest either barely manage to survive or they slowly die out.

I'm not that picky when it comes to it.

Dying from radiation wouldn't be very fun. :(

I think I'd rather die instantly.

Like from a meteor or something.

[Freohr Datia]

Science will allow us to fuse and separate our tectonic plates at will!!! (Somehow!)

And we'll have some device that can weaken or intensify Earth's gravity! (Somehow!)

And we can attach huge rockets to Earth to move it like a ship! (Somehow!)

/smacked. *STOP SAYING "SOMEHOW"!!!

That would take a loooooooooooot of strength~ And that will cover a loooooooooooot of area x3

Stronger gravity=some volcano collapse if they're weak enough? Hopefully the intense gravity changes won't have too severe of an effect on people x3 Guess we'll just feel however astronauts feel. But I still wonder how strong we can take stronger gravity before it causes damage. But anyway, I kinda doubt we could find a way to create a stronger gravity~

And I bet humans would be like "money or we die" I guess we at least don't need to worry about moving away from the sun too quickly. If we do try pushing the earth away, it'd probably be a slower rate than the rate the sun is expanding~ But that's relative to the sun. With the things on this planet, changing direction would still feel too fast even if it's super slow relative to the sun. I guess it could be a super gradual acceleration to make sure the stuff on earth could handle it... But that's still a huge huge huge huge distance to cover. Idk if we have anything strong enough to push this planet fast enough x3

[Acacia Sgt]

I remember reading somewhere that there was a chance that as the sun expands, it will push the Earth into a farther orbit, thus not needing for something else to do it. Then again, I wonder just how likely would that be...

[Fruity Insanity]

That would take a loooooooooooot of strength~ And that will cover a loooooooooooot of area x3

Stronger gravity=some volcano collapse if they're weak enough? Hopefully the intense gravity changes won't have too severe of an effect on people x3 Guess we'll just feel however astronauts feel. But I still wonder how strong we can take stronger gravity before it causes damage. But anyway, I kinda doubt we could find a way to create a stronger gravity~

And I bet humans would be like "money or we die" I guess we at least don't need to worry about moving away from the sun too quickly. If we do try pushing the earth away, it'd probably be a slower rate than the rate the sun is expanding~ But that's relative to the sun. With the things on this planet, changing direction would still feel too fast even if it's super slow relative to the sun. I guess it could be a super gradual acceleration to make sure the stuff on earth could handle it... But that's still a huge huge huge huge distance to cover. Idk if we have anything strong enough to push this planet fast enough x3

Yeah, I really have no clue. XD

I'm just placing my bet on "since we have TWO BILLION YEARS, humans will think of something."

I mean, think about it. Just a bit over 100 years ago, THERE WAS NO SUCH THING AS ELECTRICITY.

And 44 years ago, the Neil Armstrong was the first man on the moon. I mean, that's a long time ago. Sort of. To me.

I mean, I read this on Google+ or something...

Our iPhones have more computing power than all of NASA in the 1960s. They launched a man to the moon. All we do is sit here launching birds at pigs.

B-but... Angry Birds is fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun... (Although nowhere near as fun as a console game...)

Eh, we could stand a bit more gravity. I think. Maybe. I'm not sure, actually.

It's just make jumping a bit harder!

Or we could start moving the earth in 1 billion years. In which case, we'd have one billion years to move away from the sun!

I dunno. One billion years is a really long time. Anything could happen. "Humans" may not exist. According to the Darwin's theory of evolution, we'd be the "aliens" we see in movies today! Some superior life form!

I don't think so, but who cares about what I think, right?

Edited March 12, 2013 by FranticforFreeFruityFruit

[Fruity Insanity]

I remember reading somewhere that there was a chance that as the sun expands, it will push the Earth into a farther orbit, thus not needing for something else to do it. Then again, I wonder just how likely would that be...

That would be convenient.

But wouldn't that just make the sun's gravity stronger, locking Earth in a one-faced (or whatever you call it) orbit?

You know, the kind of orbit our moon has. Locked. To one side. (We only see one side of the moon...)

Wouldn't that extra gravitational pull just make it harder to escape the sun's gravity?

That's how I'd think it work anyway...

[Acacia Sgt]

That would be convenient.

But wouldn't that just make the sun's gravity stronger, locking Earth in a one-faced (or whatever you call it) orbit?

You know, the kind of orbit our moon has. Locked. To one side. (We only see one side of the moon...)

Wouldn't that extra gravitational pull just make it harder to escape the sun's gravity?

That's how I'd think it work anyway...

Not really. While the volume of the sun may expand, it's mass will not. Remember that it is burning up it's fuel and expelling it outwards. According to what I read, well, I don't remember exactly, but it had to do with said released energy that would be responsible in knocking the Earth outwards, since the sun will loose gravitational strength due to the lost mass in proportion to it's new volume.

Edited March 12, 2013 by Acacia Sgt

[Bluedoom]

Yeah, I really have no clue. XD

I'm just placing my bet on "since we have TWO BILLION YEARS, humans will think of something."

I mean, think about it. Just a bit over 100 years ago, THERE WAS NO SUCH THING AS ELECTRICITY.

And 44 years ago, the Neil Armstrong was the first man on the moon. I mean, that's a long time ago. Sort of. To me.

I mean, I read this on Google+ or something...

B-but... Angry Birds is fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun... (Although nowhere near as fun as a console game...)

Eh, we could stand a bit more gravity. I think. Maybe. I'm not sure, actually.

It's just make jumping a bit harder!

Or we could start moving the earth in 1 billion years. In which case, we'd have one billion years to move away from the sun!

I dunno. One billion years is a really long time. Anything could happen. "Humans" may not exist. According to the Darwin's theory of evolution, we'd be the "aliens" we see in movies today! Some superior life form!

I don't think so, but who cares about what I think, right?

You know I think when school teaches us theories and all they should tell us in detail about how they were discovered, what made the scientists think in that direction, etc etc.

Like it'd be cool to learn about the life of scientists. And their ideas in detail. :3

[Fruity Insanity]

Not really. While the volume of the sun may expand, it's mass will not. Remember that it is burning up it's fuel and expelling it outwards. According to what I read, well, I don't remember exactly, but it had to do with said released energy that would be responsible in knocking the Earth outwards, since the sun will loose gravitational strength due to the lost mass.

Hm... I wonder if that'd affect Earth's magnetic field in anyway... If it was a huge burst of energy, that is.

And you're right, the mass wouldn't really change. And if it did, it'd only lose mass... I hadn't thought about that. XD

I guess... But if Earth is still where it is now 3 billion years in the future, then wouldn't it be a big rock of... nothing?

I absolutely love astronomy. And geology.

Edited March 12, 2013 by FranticforFreeFruityFruit

[Randa]

Well the way I see it there are two possibilities.

1. This has to do with personal philosophy and is most likely not true. I believe in simulated reality so we all just exist as a book or a game and the world ends with you. Not the game, the idea that the world is what we see and nothing else.

Or more plausible.

2. The gamma rays emitted from chemical reactions on the earth create too much energy that eventually breaks apart molecules turning the earth into a star with the slightest spark, which would kill us all. Don't doubt this theory we were talking about quantum physics in chem today and came to this conclusion.

[Aleph]

First you talk about us offing ourselves and then you talk about the sun's expansion obliterating our atmosphere.

Are you talking about the end of humans or the end of the rock they were born on? They aren't necessarily the same thing.

[Randa]

I don't think it was that confusing but the point was that the world ends the day we die. Or at least that was the point of the first hypothesis. The second was about how the Earth naturally decay over the next several million years and will turn into a star which is impossible to live on. The first one is my personal opinion on life and the second one was about a realistic event.

[PKLucas531]

I have a recurring dream where the Earth falls into the Sun for whatever reason so it'd be pretty cool if it happened that way just out of coincedence.

[secondworld]

The world will be destroyed by an evil spirit-like thing that possesses a child's toy.

Clearly.

[Ukulele no good!]

Ooh, fun thread! =)

I think we are too dynamic and are developing too quickly to be done in by a vastly-distant cosmological event like the sun dying. Whatever happens would have to be sudden and unpredictable.

One likely scenario is nuclear. I say likely because the possibility is already present and real. However, I don't think it would ever completely annihilate life on Earth. Maybe 90% of humans would die, and the rest would have to start over.

Another scenario is a virus that is either artificially created or naturally evolves to completely eradicate our species. This is a scary thought, because it could literally happen tomorrow without anyone knowing ahead of time.

A less likely, but still possible prospect is an alien eradication. I don't know why an alien species would choose to just wipe out a species. But I guess some would see enslavement as the "end" of humanity as well.

I personally subscribe to the hope that we advance enough to reach and populate other planets, and spread far enough that it's impossible for us to be completely stamped out until the planets drift into cold entropy. And perhaps by then we'll find a way to escape that too!

[Knight]

First the earth has to deal with the energy crisis, cause the way I see it. USA loses power>USA loses money>USA asks China for money>China is pissed>Nuclear War (estimated time to solve problem, 50 years)

After that crisis is solved, then we have to deal with international relations. Korea is already pissed>China gets pissed>Middle East gets more pissed>Nuclear War (time to solve problem, 60 years)

Then the environment. Earth warms up>ecosystems collapse>both the ozone and economy collapses>an inconvenient truth (time to solve problem, 80-100 years, sooner the better)

Now we have to prepare for astronomical disasters. Meteor hits earth>self explanatory (time, 100-??? years)

Then the moon's gravity readjustment. Moon goes> lot's of other stuff goes, trust me, I watch discovery channel (time ???)

Now overpopulation, oh boy. Too many people> little living space> CO₂ levels too damn high (time, 300-1000 years)

If we can permanently solve all these, then we have the next few billion years to figure out our supernova escape plan, but by that time our technology should be at god level.(time, few billion years)

Now that we have that sorted out, now we gotta plan for everything that our galaxy has to go through. (galactic collision, hyper novae, slowly being sucked into the swirly thing in the middle)

Once the human race has become intergalactical, we our immortal until the fabric of space collapses (time, any second now)

I'll be impressed when we are interuniversal.

Edited March 13, 2013 by Knight

[Icon of Sin]

i'm actually surprised we didn't kill each other already