Our World Ends in Ten Ways

Lesson on TATAKalikasan, Ateneo de Manila University

87.9 FM Radyo Katipunan, every Thursday) 11 to 12 a.m.

Our  World Ends in Ten Ways 

UST-GS Research assignment: Discuss each items as presented here in reverse order.   

Dr Abe V Rotor

Based on the lecture of Stephen Petranek* TED Talks 

 Big Bang in acrylic by the author

10. We lose the will to survive

Remember Never Ending Story? Duel between the boy hero and the devil wolf ended with the triumph of the human spirit.  

9. Aliens invade the Earth 

Fiction yesterday, fact today. Do you believe in other intelligent beings outside our own planet?

8. The collapse of the ecosystems

So with the biomes (grouping of similar or related ecosystems, e.g. Rainforest) as a result of shrinking wildlife.

7. Particle Accelerator mishap

Similar, if not worse, than nuclear reactor meltdown. Unleashing sub-atomic particles capable of igniting chain reaction.

6. Biocide disaster 

Biological agents in warfare causing pandemic to humans, animals and crops. 

5. Reversal of the Earth's magnetic field.

Earth's magnetic field acts like a shield to protect Earth from damaging solar particles. The Sun releases a flow of charged particles into space that can affect life on Earth. Reversal has global impact to our communication systems network. 

4. Giant solar flares

Tongues of fire arising from the sun's surface exacerbate global warming and El Nino phenomenon.   

3. New Global Epidemic

H1N1, Ebola, HIV-AIDS, virulent flu virus top the pathogenic epidemic diseases; while obesity, cell radiation, fatal stress are the recent global causes of death. 

  

2. We meet a rogue Black Hole

Theoretical physicists reveal the presence of black holes in our galaxy, giant whirlpools that swallow up stars into anti-matter - including our sun and its solar system. 

1. Collision with an Asteroid

Scientists coined impact technology as a new science in dealing with meteors and asteroids that fall to earth.  One impact caused the extinction of dinosaurs some 25 million years ago. 

NOTE: Actually, it is loss of will to live and hope to survive that is the greatest predisposing factor to the end of mankind, and our world.

*Stephen Petranek · Technology forecaster untangles emerging technologies to predict which will become fixtures of our future lives -- and which could potentially save them.