From: John Clark (jonkc@worldnet.att.net)
Date: Mon Jan 07 2002 - 09:00:48 MST
Robert J. Bradbury <bradbury@aeiveos.com> Wrote:
>The threat from Gamma Ray Bursts is much greater than
>NEOs or nuclear war (astro-ph/0110162). Fortunately it looks
>like we may be safe from them through the next century or so
>(unless there is an O or B class star nearby we are unaware of).
>So I think the singularity is a go.
How about a simple virus mutation? Something as deadly as Ebola
and as contagious as the common cold might spread so fast that
scientists would have no time to study it. Compared with other
mammals there is remarkably little genetic variation in the Human
Race so it is at least conceivable that one very bad bug could
cause an extinction, sort of like a Dutch Elm Disease for people.
I'm not expecting it to happen but it's something to think about.
John K Clark jonkc@att.net
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