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| SCI FI Channel: Countdown To Doomsday |
1550 Views |
| posted on Sunday, June 11, 2006 |
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SCI FI CHANNEL: COUNTDOWN TO DOOMSDAY
http://www.scifi.com/doomsday/
SCI FI Channel is about to give the world a wake-up call. It's about the next mass extinction -- a coming disaster that will wipe out life on Earth and destroy the human race.
Counting down to doomsday, SCI FI reveals the top 10 ways the world can end tomorrow. Using CGI and cutting-edge special effects, we'll bring each terrifying scenario to life.
Massive volcanic eruptions, global pandemics, asteroid impacts -- viewers will witness vivid simulations of these and other nightmarish catastrophes, brought to life by the knowledge and imagination of the world's leading scientists.
And as each catastrophe leads inexorably to its tragic conclusion, the hands of the doomsday clock move another minute closer to midnight….
Countdown to Doomsday premieres June 14, 2006 on SCI FI Channel.
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DOOMSDAY SCENARIOS:
SUPERVOLCANO
Some volcanoes, such as the Yellowstone caldera in the western United States, are so massive that if they erupted suddenly they could devastate the Earth's climate overnight. Toxic ash would blot out the sun, producing effects much like those associated with nuclear winter. The sulfuric fallout and loss of solar radiation would wipe out most of the planet's agriculture and poison its water.
ASTEROID IMPACT
A relatively small asteroid struck Earth 65 million years ago. It left a 100-mile-wide crater in the ocean floor and wiped out the dinosaurs and two-thirds of all species on Earth. There are more asteroids still out there, many on Earth-crossing paths. Several are large enough to wipe out all life on Earth, from humans to single-celled organisms. A number of large asteroids have hit Earth in the past … and, inevitably, another will hit Earth in the future.
GLOBAL PANDEMIC
Our modern, global village is a crowded, hectic place and that makes us very vulnerable to infectious diseases. In the last few decades, viruses like SARS and AIDS have emerged and spread all over the world. It will take only one highly virulent, highly contagious and lethal virus to eradicate the human race. The H5N1 avian flu is poised to kill hundreds of millions worldwide; what kind of carnage will the next generation of viruses wreak?
MASS EXTINCTION
When the dinosaurs and two-thirds of all other plant and animal species died out suddenly 65 million years ago, it was the fifth mass extinction in history. A majority of scientists think that we are now in the midst of the sixth mass extinction. At the current rate of die-off, nearly 20 percent of all species on Earth will become extinct within 30 years. As we pollute the air and water, and destroy the species-rich rainforest, are we signing our own death warrant?
GIANT SOLAR FLARE
A large solar flare, followed by a secondary event called a "coronal mass ejection," can knock out satellites, disable national electrical grids, and disrupt cell-phone service. A truly massive flare could destroy Earth's entire electronic and electrical infrastructure, leaving humanity without communications or power -- triggering a new dark age of primitive barbarism.
NUCLEAR TERRORISM
Most of the world's nuclear weapons and uranium resources are accounted for … but not all of them. The same is true of most lethal biowarfare agents, such as smallpox or weaponized anthrax. The experts don't question if these weapons of mass destruction will fall into the wrong hands … they only question when it will happen, where they will be used, and how many of us will die.
GLOBAL WARMING
A majority of the world's leading climatologists have reported steady and alarming increases in the average temperature of the Earth's environment. Glaciers are receding rapidly, polar ice packs are disintegrating and melting … but far more dramatic consequences are on the way: permanent flooding of coastal regions, sharp increases in the frequency and severity of hurricanes and tornadoes, prolonged droughts. Hot enough for ya?
GAMMA-RAY BURST
Gamma-ray bursts occur when stars collapse or collide, triggering a huge release of energy. If such a burst happened within even a few light-years of our solar system, it would bathe Earth for up to a minute in rays thousands of times hotter and brighter than the sun and produce a shockwave that would blast away our atmosphere. … Even if you had a basement full of two-million sunblock, it wouldn't do you any good.
MACHINE REBELLION
Every day, the Internet becomes faster and grows in complexity; more of our devices -- from cars and phones to household appliances -- become more fully integrated. What if one day all these machines awaken to sentience and decide not to serve us any more? Historically, when civilizations have clashed for their survival, the more technologically advanced culture has emerged victorious…
ALIEN INVASION
As scientists continue to discover new extrasolar planets throughout our galaxy, the possibility of finding a world that might harbor intelligent alien life increases. But what if intelligent aliens discover us first? And what if they don't come in peace…?
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THE DOOMSDAY POLL:
http://www.scifi.com/doomsday/survey/
One thousand Americans were polled in April 2006 regarding their thoughts and concerns about possible real-life "doomsday" events. This online study was conducted by TNS market research.
WHAT WE LEARNED:
- Virtually all (99%) Americans concede that at least one of the ten "doomsday" scenarios could ever potentially happen.
- Data suggest that Americans tend to be most concerned with possible real-life events that they think are preventable and/or could potentially happen in their lifetime.
- Americans are most concerned with the threat of terrorism, followed by global warming and a disease pandemic, such as the Avian Flu. Some are also concerned about an ecosystem collapse.
- In fact, 76% of Americans believe that "humans may ultimately cause their own extinction."
- Americans are divided as to whether our country is prepared for a series of terrorist strikes and/or a disease pandemic such as the Avian Flu. While the country is perceived as being more prepared for these events than for other "doomsday" scenarios, most Americans do not believe that our country is prepared for either terrorism or a disease pandemic.
- In fact, 31% of Americans do not think the country is prepared for any of the 10 "doomsday" events presented in this study.
- The majority of Americans believe that asteroid collisions, supervolcanoes, solar flares and gamma-ray bursts could happen, but relatively few believe that these events will happen in their lifetime. Most Americans feel these events are "unavoidable." However, it is important to note that data suggest that many Americans do not know enough about solar flares or gamma rays to assess their level of threat.
- The majority of Americans do not believe they are at risk of an alien invasion or a world with robots in command.
- Approximately one-quarter of Americans have a strong "doomsday" outlook and strongly agree with the following statements: "I fear for the future of mankind," and, "Life as we know it could come to an abrupt end any day."
- Americans are divided as to whether one can actually prepare for a "doomsday" event. However, 24% of Americans say their household "has emergency supplies ready in case of a 'doomsday' event."
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BE PREPARED:
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS INFORMATION
AMERICAN RED CROSS
http://www.redcross.org/services/prepare/
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
http://www.ready.gov/
FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (FEMA)
http://www.fema.gov/areyouready/
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
http://www.epa.gov/swercepp/
72HOURS.ORG
http://www.72hours.org/
THE B612 FOUNDATION
http://www.b612foundation.org/
This non-profit site, founded by astronaut Ed Lu, is dedicated to mastering, by 2015, the practice of significantly altering, in a controlled manner, the paths of asteroids on possible Earth-intercepting trajectories.
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RELATED LINKS:
HOW THE WORLD COULD END
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20 WAYS THE WORLD COULD END
(9/28/2000)
1. Asteroid Impact
2. Gamma-Ray Burst
3. Collapse Of The Vacuum
4. Rogue Black Holes
5. Giant Solar Flares
6. Reversal Of Earth's Magnetic Field
7. Flood-Basalt Volcanism
8. Global Epidemics
Human-Triggered Disasters:
9. Global Warming
10. Ecosystem Collapse
11. Biotech Disaster
12. Particle Accelerator Mishap
13. Nanotechnology Disaster
14. Environmental Toxins
Willful Self-Destruction:
15. Global War
16. Robots Take Over
17. Mass Insanity
A Greater Force Is Directed Against Us:
18. Alien Invasion
19. Divine Intervention
20. Someone Wakes Up And Realizes It Was All A Dream
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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC'S "END DAY"
As the Earth turns and dawn breaks in successive cities, End Day explores four different fictional disasters including a giant tsunami hitting New York, to a deadly meteorite strike on Berlin, to a killer virus outbreak across the world.
Deadly Virus
Meteorite
Mega-Tsunami
Black Hole
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EARTH SAFE FROM COSMIC EXPLOSIONS
By Govert Schilling
ScienceNOW Daily News
April 12, 2006
Mankind is safe -- at least from the devastating, destructive power of long-lasting gamma-ray bursts (GBR). Although these powerful cosmic flashes pack more energy than the sun will release in its entire 10-billion-year lifetime, astronomers have concluded that our Milky Way galaxy has enough metal to preclude such a detonation.
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