-
Asked by anon-175655 to Thomas, hayleypincott, Ella, David, Alison, Alex on 16 Jun 2018.
-
Hayley Pincott answered on 16 Jun 2018:
I think it will be something like a superbug. There are already so many bacteria that are resistant to so many antibiotics and so many people not vaccinated that, as the human race, we will run out of options.
It’s inevitable there will be a huge outbreak of a disease as there has been before. Just look at Ebola or something closer to home like a measles outbreak.
If people don’t get vaccinated, abuse the use of antibiotics, and doctors & vets over prescribe antibiotics I think we could be in real trouble very soon.
AMR (antimicrobial resistance) is a real issue that we face and I feel really passionate about. This is why I want to raise this issue in the event I’m organising in November for National Pathology Week.
-
-
David Mills answered on 18 Jun 2018:
I’d like to be optimistic and think we’ll overcome our war-like nature and spread into space – in the best tradition of science-fiction.
Of course, if we do that then we’ll probably have to make massive changes to the human body, or perhaps even leave it altogether and upload our minds to computers. If there are no humans walking around on Earth, but we’re all uploaded or moved off elsewhere, have we really gone extinct?
At some point, there will be a last human alive, I wonder if they will know it and I wonder what they will be thinking?
-
Thomas Perriment answered on 18 Jun 2018:
I think Hayley is right in that it will be something like a superbug.
Humans have evolved to produce cells (B and T cells) which can target and attack unwanted guests in our systems, however even though vaccinations actually change our DNA so we can protect ourselves a little better, this DNA is not passed onto our offspring. This means that instead of continuing to fully evolve, because of the support that technology and medicine gives us we can’t adapt to all of the risks in the world as quickly as we might need to. Bacteria and viruses don’t have the same support so the stronger strains, those which are more resistant to our drugs and technology, survive and they are the ones which pose a real threat!
We have seen cases of bubonic plague (plague!) cropping up in America in the last few weeks, which at one point wiped out 10s of millions across the world.
One interesting point I read about, was that humans might one day evolve to be different enough from the first occurrence of Homo Sapiens, that they might even be considered a different species!
-
Alison Hughes answered on 19 Jun 2018:
I would guess a superbug or series of massive natural disasters. This is because antibiotics that we have to treat bugs now are becoming ineffective. There has also been a massive increase in the number and severity of natural disasters because of climate change.
Comments
hayleypincott commented on :
Do you have any ideas about what it might be that wipes us out? Do you think it will be a natural event or something that is a result of the way we live?
anon-175655 commented on :
I also think that the cause will be because of our behaviour, a natural disaster like a huge rise in water levels because of the global warming and melting of the ice… I would like to believe humans will overcome this but I honestly don’t, we’re starting to react too late.
hayleypincott commented on :
I really agree in that I think we’ve left things too late. I was talking to my colleague about your question and she thinks that there’ll be a natural disaster like a huige volcanic eruption which will cause a massive block to the Sun which means we won’t be able to grow anything, causing us humans to fade from existance. A really great question which has got my office talking!
Well done!!!!!!