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Scientist says that humans are almost certainly going extinct
Published 15:21 28 Mar 2022 BST
Homenews
Humanity is apparently set for 'collapse'
A leading climate scientist believes it is inevitable that the human race will become extinct - and it may be sooner than you think. Palaeontologist and Nature editor Henry Gee says that the global population decline could begin as soon as the end of this century. In a journal article in Scientific American, cheerily titled 'Humans Are Doomed to Go Extinct,' Gee highlights the factors that will lead to our demise, which include a lack of genetic variation, climate change, and falling birth rates because of a massive decline in the "quality of human sperm." He said "the human population is set not just for shrinkage but collapse – and soon."
In the piece, Gee explains that "the most insidious threat to humankind is something called ‘extinction debt.'
“There comes a time in the progress of any species, even ones that seem to be thriving, when extinction will be inevitable, no matter what they might do to avert it," he continues.
[caption id="attachment_325966" align="alignnone" width="2048"]
Climate change could be one of the causes of human extinction (David McNew/Getty)[/caption]
"The species most at risk are those that dominate particular habitat patches at the expense of others, who tend to migrate elsewhere, and are therefore spread more thinly.
"Humans occupy more or less the whole planet, and with our sequestration of a large wedge of the productivity of this planet-wide habitat patch, we are dominant within it.”
Gee goes on to say that "over the past few decades, the quality of human sperm has declined massively, possibly leading to lower birth rates." He adds that this could be down to pollution or "living in close proximity to other people for a long period."
https://twitter.com/sciam/status/1465719521105391619?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1465719521105391619%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.unilad.co.uk%2Ftechnology%2Fclimate-change-mass-extinction-humanity-species-doomsday-clock-20220326
Perhaps the most worrying aspect of Gee's prediction is that humanity will not just slowly die and shrink, but will instead collapse and implode.
Gee finishes by saying: "The signs are already there for those willing to see them. When the habitat becomes degraded such that there are fewer resources to go around; when fertility starts to decline; when the birth rate sinks below the death rate; and when genetic resources are limited—the only way is down.
"The question is “How fast?”
Let's be honest, it's not beyond the realms of possibility. Unless drastic change is made, then climate change alone will probably spell the end for the human race at some point in the not-too-distant future.
And that's before you even consider the possibility nuclear war or some other catastrophic event.
The scientific community are in general agreement on this as well it would seem. The infamous 'Doomsday Clock', which represents how close humanity is to global catastrophe, was moved to '100 seconds to midnight,' the closest it has ever been to midnight.
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Climate change could be one of the causes of human extinction (David McNew/Getty)[/caption]
"The species most at risk are those that dominate particular habitat patches at the expense of others, who tend to migrate elsewhere, and are therefore spread more thinly.
"Humans occupy more or less the whole planet, and with our sequestration of a large wedge of the productivity of this planet-wide habitat patch, we are dominant within it.”
Gee goes on to say that "over the past few decades, the quality of human sperm has declined massively, possibly leading to lower birth rates." He adds that this could be down to pollution or "living in close proximity to other people for a long period."
https://twitter.com/sciam/status/1465719521105391619?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1465719521105391619%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.unilad.co.uk%2Ftechnology%2Fclimate-change-mass-extinction-humanity-species-doomsday-clock-20220326
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