Science & Tech
Three Major Existential Threats to Humanity Intensify in 2023
Clear Facts:
- 2023 witnesses the escalation of three significant existential threats to humanity: global climate change, AI’s unpredictable power, and the growth of nuclear superpowers.
- While we’ve just lived through the hottest month on record and AI poses potential dangers to institutional trust, the emergence of three global nuclear powers is reshaping geopolitics.
- Despite the looming threats, history suggests that with strategic efforts, humanity can avert these crises.
2023 has ushered in intensifying concerns regarding existential threats to humanity.
Three major issues – nuclear catastrophe, global warming, and the unbridled power of artificial intelligence (AI) – are pushing many to sound the alarm.
Climate: The environmental threat is now palpable.
As Axios’ Andrew Freedman notes, we’ve just experienced the hottest month ever recorded.
Oceanic temperatures have skyrocketed, causing the bleaching and death of coral reefs around places like the Florida Keys.
The alarming decline in Antarctic sea ice and the widespread wildfires emphasize the reality of global warming.
Despite climate scientists’ repeated warnings about the perils of a temperature rise, the situation seems to be worsening.
With the U.S. and China being the world’s top carbon emitters, global tensions are inhibiting the formation of a robust international solution.
Artificial Intelligence: The very architects of AI technology have acknowledged a real yet undefined possibility that AI could be detrimental to human existence.
As reported by Axios’ Ryan Heath, AI’s capability to create fake videos, soundbites, and images poses a direct threat to the already fragile trust of Americans in elections and institutions.
Nuclear Weapons: The global balance of power is shifting.
China is aggressively expanding its nuclear capabilities across land, sea, and air, leading to a world where we may soon be facing not two but three nuclear superpowers.
As Axios’ Sam Baker references, the New York Times states, “Beijing, Moscow, and Washington will likely be atomic peers.”
This nuclear augmentation wasn’t anticipated just a decade ago.
Furthermore, the relocation of Russia’s nuclear weapons to Belarus, as disclosed by President Vladimir Putin, and subsequent warnings from President Biden about Putin’s potential use of these weapons in Ukraine have heightened global concerns.
But amid these pressing concerns, there’s a glimmer of hope.
History has shown that humanity can pull back from the edge of catastrophe.
We’ve steered clear of nuclear warfare since World War II, effective global climate agreements are still within reach, and regulations for AI can indeed be established.
The crux of the matter is that facing and mitigating these impending existential threats will necessitate concerted efforts by competent leaders both in government and industry.
We want to know what you think! Share your thoughts in the comments below.
ernaldo
August 15, 2023 at 6:39 pm
Democrats, commies and muslims are the biggest dangers, there is NO climate crisis!!!
Edouard d'Orange
August 15, 2023 at 7:04 pm
So right Ernaldo. Humans can do virtually nothing to change the climate. The fires in Canada and Maui were not caused by climate change but do more than all human activity.
Jeffrey James Kober
August 15, 2023 at 10:31 pm
I can’t believe educated adults still buy into the’Global Warming / Climate Crisis bs! It is nothing more than a distraction for the elete, while they line their pockets! Mother earth was here long before we arrived, and she will be here long after we’re gone!
Conservative Not Republican
August 15, 2023 at 11:11 pm
Exactly. The communist liberals love to use the phrase “hottest year on record”….and then conveniently leave out the fact that we only have reasonably accurate records dating back, maybe 150 years or so. Ice, mud or tree rings can give you a snap shot of what might have been happening in a particular area, but the dating becomes a bit more questionable in terms of exactly what time it may actually reflect.
When taken in the context that climate cycles can last hundreds, or thousands of years, then the context of “hottest year on record” isn’t nearly as scary as the communist liberals want you to believe it is. Beyond that, we know there have been hotter periods in the past…but the communist liberals don’t like to acknowledge that fact.
Finally, when the communist liberals accuse one of being a “climate denier”, what they’re REALLY accusing you of, is being an opponent of government control…because that is what it ALWAYS leads back to. I can fully acknowledge that the climate changes. It always does. That does not mean that I also must believe that government policy can control the climate of the planet…and THAT is what the real end game for the climate alarmists really is.
CandygramForMongo
August 16, 2023 at 8:59 am
We’ve been recording weather since 1880. These phucking clowns want us to believe weather was recorded 125,000 years ago, and that this Huly was the hottest ever. BULLSHITE!!! I wish these liars would phuck off to another world!
CandygramForMongo
August 16, 2023 at 9:04 am
Hottest summer EVER…..and I haven’t used my A.C once! Somethings wrong here! LMAO. CLOWNS RUNNING/RUINING THE CIRCUS!!
William Robert Hopper
August 16, 2023 at 11:48 am
No climate crisis that statement in itself is ludicrous.
Everyday I see from my trees and the plants in the Sun things are just having to do that or die I think that’s going to be the same way with the humanity.
Bob
August 15, 2023 at 6:42 pm
Many scientists have said repeatedly that climate change is natural and nothing to worry about. Of course, as with everything else, their data and proof are stifled by the liberal media. People can’t get out of their own way but are going to save the planet? The planet is fine. We don’t need to spend billions on nothing.
Edouard d'Orange
August 15, 2023 at 7:07 pm
Their climate change mania verges on religious cult thinking and is causing people undue stress.
Pame
August 15, 2023 at 10:10 pm
We all agree with Ernaldo 1000%!!! Hes got the order right as well! DEMOCRATS are Demon-Ruled! The name alone says it all! Swap the C with a N and there ya have it! DEMON-RATS! Sneaky they think they are! How can anyone with a decent respectable brain support that demonic party? Help us Lord!
billi
August 18, 2023 at 10:25 am
Not that long ago we were bombarded with ” The new Ice age is coming” backed up with all the Government funded science people. I was a bit worried and started looking for places in Florida — now I’m looking for a place in northern Canada. Whats next?
Thomas Muldoon
August 15, 2023 at 10:35 pm
I want to share some thoughts from our senior minister at Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. God is: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is God the Son in human form. As God, Jesus was sustaining the Pharisees and the Roman soldiers who crucified Him. Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sins, to give us new natures so we are able to obey God, and to open the gates of heaven for us, when He (Jesus) comes again in glory to judge the world. We can know all this today through the Holy Bible.
In other words, what we see is passing away, and the spiritual, invisible dimension of life is more important. Since we through Jesus can be heirs of the abundant riches of the kingdom of heaven, Jesus tells us to love our enemies, who are going to hell and trying to drag us with them. Of course, we are not to vote with the Democrats, but we are to band together in the local churches into which God has put us and try to love them!
CandygramForMongo
August 16, 2023 at 9:01 am
The three REAL existential threats to our world is globalism, democrats and democrats.
Uncle Art
August 16, 2023 at 11:12 am
Funny how if the masses rise up against the Globalists bankers and their paidoff politicians and those paid to protect them 80% of these problems they make wouldn’t be a problem anymore.
But the ignorant masses don’t want to learn to think for themselves and like being told what to do. History proves that over and over again.
The masses have always looked to and believed whatever slick talker says how if you all do as he says he will make you all have a great life.
All planed and paid for by Globalists to install their system. Stay ignorant uneducated and brainwashed – it’s how you let yourselfs become.
David Stempien
August 16, 2023 at 10:12 pm
Of course there’s climate change, it happens 24/7/365, 366 on a leap year, been doing that for eons.
Now, anthropogenic climate change is total BS!
Paula and Fred Venitsky
August 17, 2023 at 9:52 am
How is it that some of the biggest countries that have the worst air pollution don’t contribute but USA has better climate than most must contribute. Personally I think there’s a kick back probably to the Democrats as usual….
Sean Rickman
August 18, 2023 at 8:46 pm
Does anyone think that maybe climate change is just what it really is,normal climate change and that the deep state won’t profit from this if its proven otherwise which will never happen as long as the democRATs are in charge of destroying AMERICA.And did anyone think about the climate”GOONIES”setting fires to prove their point.Think about it.
Jeremy
August 28, 2023 at 6:47 pm
Climate change is real! When in the history of the planet gas the climate not changed? The original atmosphere of this planet was not even capable of supporting the life as that we see around us today. The climate hoax is about control. Do you think that we the people would put up with “green” energy policies if a significant percentage of the population wasn’t terrified of climate change? Especially when they cause loss of jobs, increased energy prices, and energy shortages?
A population that is afraid is easier to control. https://academyofideas.com/2015/11/fear-and-social-control/
Tim Kuehl
October 7, 2023 at 4:05 pm
You lost all credibility by accepting Axios as a source to identify threats to humanity.
Rick G
December 10, 2023 at 12:58 pm
“This nuclear augmentation wasn’t anticipated just a decade ago.”
Of course, without the infected media and higher education, nobody would have ‘voted’ for the lying idiot Joe Biden just 10 years ago. We can now easily see the blatant corruption and bribery going on at the highest levels of our ‘We The People’ illegal government. The dumbing down of America is a major threat to the entire World.
Ron Berti
January 2, 2024 at 8:17 am
Like most breakthroughs, AI has upsides and downsides, in this case of major significance. The only solution is to develop expertise broadly, legislation will be marginally useful.
Nukes? Nukes have been around for 78 years. While their existence means the USA must maintain an arsenal, and while proliferation should be reduced (a job the Bidenistas are not doing too well), it’s not a massively rising threat due to MAD.
Climate? Doesn’t even earn the “existential” tab. Climate is changing all right, but there’s plenty of evidence saying “it’s a problem, not a crisis”. The fact that the Warmers won’t debate and expect the USA to spend $50T on nonsense while China keeps building coal fired power plants tells you all you need to know. A “crisis” has not been proven, scientifically. We can’t afford it anyway. The impact on GMT will be marginal, probably within the error bands of our ability to measure it. It advantages the CCP over the free world. It’s close to technically impossible. There is no reason to worry about “climate change” as an “existential” threat. That is 100% BS and politics. IMHO, but I think I can prove it.