Will humans survive the century?
Analysis11 Mar 2019

Will humans survive the century?

What is the chance of the human race surviving the 21st century? There are many dangers – climate change for example, or nuclear war, or a pandemic, or planet Earth being hit by a giant asteroid.

Around the world a number of research centres have sprung up to investigate and mitigate what’s called existential risk. How precarious is our civilisation and can we all play a part in preventing global catastrophe?

Contributors

Anders Sandberg, Future of Humanity Institute. Phil Torres, Future of Life Institute. Karin Kuhlemann, University College London. Simon Beard, Centre for Existential Risk. Lalitha Sundaram, Centre for Existential Risk. Seth Baum, Global Catastrophic Risk Institute.

Film clip: Armageddon, Touchstone Pictures (1998), Directed by Michael Bay.

Presented (cheerily) by David Edmonds. Producer: Diane Richardson

Episoder(389)

Samuel Scheffler on the Afterlife

Samuel Scheffler on the Afterlife

The American philosopher Samuel Scheffler reveals a hidden force which motivates our actions: our belief in the continuation of humanity after our deaths. In an interview with Edward Stourton, plus a ...

29 Jun 201528min

Is it Time for the Internet to Grow Up?

Is it Time for the Internet to Grow Up?

In its short lifetime, the world wide web has raised giants and monsters. It's transformed sections of the economy, from retail to publishing and the music industry. It has had a profound effect on jo...

26 Jun 201528min

How Gay Became OK

How Gay Became OK

Why have British attitudes towards homosexuality changed so far and so fast? Less than 50 years ago, sex between men was a criminal act. Now they can marry. It's not just the law that has changed: we ...

22 Jun 201528min

Making Invisibles Visible

Making Invisibles Visible

The UK is the world's second largest exporter of services - and has been for some time. The surplus generated by these "invisibles" - everything from banking to public relations to whizzy new phone ap...

15 Jun 201528min

Is the Pope a Communist?

Is the Pope a Communist?

Pope Francis' critique of modern economics has made him an icon for the Left and prompted claims that he is a Communist. The leader of 1.2 billion Catholics has called capitalism, at best, a source of...

8 Jun 201528min

Ritual Sexual Abuse: The Anatomy of a Panic (Part 2)

Ritual Sexual Abuse: The Anatomy of a Panic (Part 2)

David Aaronovitch of The Times traces the powerful intellectual influences behind what he sees as one of the most important cultural shifts of the past 40 years: from a society in which accusations of...

1 Jun 201528min

Ritual Sexual Abuse: The Anatomy of a Panic (Part 1)

Ritual Sexual Abuse: The Anatomy of a Panic (Part 1)

David Aaronovitch of The Times traces the powerful intellectual influences behind what he sees as one of the most important cultural shifts of the past 40 years: from a society in which accusations of...

25 Mai 201528min

The Edge

The Edge

Is the West losing its military edge? Mark Urban investigates whether the US and its allies are losing superiority as they cut defence spending while rivals increase theirs.

14 Apr 201537min

Populært innen Politikk og nyheter

giver-og-gjengen-vg
aftenpodden-usa
aftenpodden
stopp-verden
forklart
i-retten
popradet
det-store-bildet
fotballpodden-2
nokon-ma-ga
dine-penger-pengeradet
rss-gukild-johaug
bt-dokumentar-2
aftenbla-bla
hanna-de-heldige
rss-ness
frokostshowet-pa-p5
rss-penger-polser-og-politikk
rss-dannet-uten-piano
e24-podden