Sunday, February 22, 2009

A Global Solution for Humanity

I wonder if, sometime in the not-so-distant future, our species might face a challenge that required worldwide support and cooperation. A challenge that without the proper action, or inaction, would result in an unprecedented and unforeseen catastrophic reality. Something that might result in human beings becoming but a memory. Perhaps even life altogether on Earth.



It's is difficult to imagine such devastating scenarios, but surely something might be at least plausible. . Something is happening to our atmosphere. Our ozone and ability to deflect radiation is quickly diminishing. A giant, deadly cosmic nebula-like cloud of goo is approaching Earth in the following years. Supergravity has accelerated and the sun is drawing us in much faster than than expected. An easily transmitted mutated virus has made it's way into Europe. A supervolcano has disrupted much of the world in many different ways. All species of bees have gone exinct. ET has told us they want the planet and we are to evacuate in the next 25 years. Something along these lines. The point is : Some time might come where we, as earthlings, might have to make decisions together for the continuation of the human species.



This is very possible. I know my examples are far fetching, but with the history of our solar system and the changing condition of our planet, the potential for abrupt non-beneficial environments to arise is a question of when not if. Would it happen in our lifetime or our childrens?? Or hundreds or thousands of years?? It seems inevitable. The timeline of humanity's existence is but a blip on the radar.



But if we are ever to change from a Type 0 civilization to a Type I, as Kaku and others descibe, we will not only have to find magnificent ways to harness energy, we will undoubtedly, at some point in our future, need to escape some cosmic or earthbound threat. If we are to "save" humanity as long as possible, we will need to find a way to cooperate together as a planet. And we could never be further from that reality. As ideological humans, we may be our own worst enemy. We cannot agree on the most basic premises, much less an agenda to protect and extend our species. Even so, a global agreement, a global intent, is the only way for us to advance as a species beyond our expected and certain demise.

We must recognize the frailty of our kind and work together to plan for two things: protecting those that live here from various kinds of threats, and sending off humans to colonize other worlds or areas of space. If a humans expect a long future then these must be addressed successfully.

However, I question whether this is ever going to be possible. We can look to certain nations doing some of this, but it will take substantially longer, cost loads of more money, and increase the risk. Basic research and development is a long process and takes lots of money and effort. One nation undertaking the entire gamut of protecting people from natural or cosmic disaster and being responsible for a space program designed to get people off the planet and into new homes elsewhere in the galaxy is simply too much. It may be too much for the planet. Without some change in consciousness or a single new world order I'm not sure how we overcome our future needs to do these very things.

And BTW, I'm not advocating some tryanical evil New World Order. I'm just merely observing that if we do not come to some general realizations about us as human beings and our place in the universe, then we stand a great deal to lose.

I just found this Kaku video and it pretty much sums everything up.