The main threats to humanity

Scientists at the Stockholm Resilience Center have named the main threats to humanity.

They found out writes BB.LV that humanity risks getting stuck in an evolutionary dead end due to a dozen global threats, including habitat destruction and new infectious diseases. Experts presented the results of their large-scale work in an article that published Journal of The Royal Society of London (B).

In a new study, scientists examined the concept of an evolutionary trap as it applies to human society. It represents an inadequate response of the body to changes in environmental conditions. For example, sea turtles that navigate by the light of the moon are attracted to artificial light sources on beaches, which can lead to their death.

The researchers determined 12 evolutionary traps that humanity has been on the verge of falling into over the past 30 years. At the same time, scientists note, if any society gets stuck in one dead end, it is more likely to end up in another. The main reason for this is that long-term efforts at the global level are required to combat threats, while adaptations to environmental changes tend to be local and short-term. That is, the goals of individual countries do not coincide with the goals of international cooperation. Researchers divided evolutionary traps into three large groups:

TO global include the simplification and increasing instability of agricultural ecosystems, the spread of infectious diseases, the reduction of resources due to environmental degradation, climate change due to increasing material wealth, and international conflicts as a consequence of the failure of global cooperation.

Technological pitfalls include chemical pollution, overcomplication of fossil fuel infrastructure, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, dependence on risky technologies (AI and robotics), and the spread of misinformation due to global digitalization.

To the third group, structural trapsscientists attributed a preference for short-term benefits, excessive consumption, environmental illiteracy of the population, isolation of communities within social networks and the emergence of echo chambers (support of like-minded people instead of open discussions).

Researchers say this does not mean that human civilization is doomed to failure. But it is necessary to actively transform society, resort to innovation and cooperation, so that possible dead ends can be overcome. This can be facilitated by the understanding that the Earth and its biosphere are the only habitat suitable for humanity that must be preserved.

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