and the real possibility of nuclear war. It can sometimes

feel like the end is near. But what are the biggest threats

to humanity and is there anything we can do to stop them?

Experts all over the world from the Global Challenges Foundation

in Stockholm and the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk

at the University of Cambridge consider this question yearly

using scientific research. Some risks lay

millions of years into the future like gamma-ray burst

caused by a star explosion which would destroy our

ozone layer or even the over expansion or

collapse of the entire universe. Closer to home

we have our sun which will eventually become a red giant as it ages

and engulf the entire planet

but even that isn't for another 5 billion years.

More imminent is an asteroid large enough to

create a global catastrophe which is estimated to occur

every 120,000 years. While none are currently

expected to hit earth soon existing data is incomplete

with a worldwide effort underway to

to search the skies. Should it happen

it could create a global cooling event like the ice age.

But even smaller asteroids could have a significant impact

on both natural and human ecosystems too.

An even closer possibility is the super volcano

the devastation in Pompeii from Mount Vesuvius released around

4 km cubic of magma but the super volcanos

can release more than 500 km cubic.

The real worry from this worldwide is

the ash cloud which would block out the sunlight, cooling the globe

and crippling agriculture. The last known eruption occurred

around 25.000 years ago in New Zealand and

researchers predict they occur every 30.000 to 50.000 years.

Scientists are currently monitoring Yellowstone

in the US as a future potential site. But not

all of our threats are natural. Overpopulation can

outstrip Earth's capacity to produce food

and other resources. And amplify the threat of infectious

pandemics due to high densities. Perhaps with bioengineered

diseases. Conversely evidence is

already pointing to declining fertility rates.

Will we see the human population gradually die off

from lack of births? Or will climate change beat this concern?

A rise of 3 degrees Celsius would be incredibly

significant with most of Florida and Bangladesh underwater.

While several coastal cities would become swamped.

On top of this longer and more damaging wild fire seasons,

more destructive hurricanes, heat waves, food insecurity

and drought. All of which can impact and amplify

incidents of violence with. Nations already suffering

from water and climate conditions which ultimately

impacted deteriorating economic conditions.

Then, there is nuclear war. Tensions over North Korea have brought this conflict to the forefront.

With over 7000 known warheads between Russia and the US.

And nukes within the UK, France

China, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea.

The doomsday clock created by the

Bulletin of Atomic Scientists represents the likeliness of a

man-made global catastrophe. Though the clock more recently

included climate change and some other developments that

put humanity at risk emphasis is placed on nuclear war.

Since its creation in 1947, the furthest

we've been from midnight or doomsday is in 1991

when the clock was 17 minutes to midnight.

Today in 2017 the clock sits

at 2.5 minutes to midnight. The second closest it has ever been.

Even a small nuclear war

could create a nuclear winter which would cause global cooling

and damage to the ozone layer that may ultimately

create droughts that lasts more than a decade.

But the greatest threat of all: Researches currently believe

it's artificial intelligence. If growth continues to

become comparable to the industrial and agricultural revolutions

Experts predict autonomous machines will attain

near human level intelligence by 2075.

And even if these machines don't become malevolent or evil

what happens if those programmed to kill fall into the

wrong hands? Or when AI programmed to do something good

go about it with a destructive method?

Thank you all so much for watching this video! If you liked it

make sure that you subscribe so that you can see our videos that come out every Thursday.

And we're gonna like some other videos over there that are similar to this one.

About how rich people are prepping for the apocalypse and

how to survive a nuclear war. This year is almost over. Hang in there!

Peace guys!