Is it over? Chemically Speaking...

The concept of the end of the world has captivated human imagination for centuries, from ancient prophecies to modern-day apocalyptic functions and approximations from scientists with astrophysical events. While these scenarios often explore fictional aspects, some can be grounded in real scientific possibilities. Among the various ways the world could come to an end, many involve bio-warfare, fallouts, environmental destruction, and geological catastrophes. By breaking down these scenarios, we can better understand the potential threats and take measures to mitigate them. But there seem to be too many, so it is already over.

Some of the most apparent protests are that of climate change and the lunatics who throw cake on monuments for “Just Stop oil.” The fundamental concept of the greenhouse effect is hammered into all of us: gasses that tend to trap heat (CO2, N2O, CH4). We can't just go out on a whim and say: “Let's stop all emissions!” that would mean blacking out 80% of the world, halting almost all vehicular transports, and essentially starving a great portion of the world in darkness. The production of food, transportation of food and goods, and burning fossil fuels cannot be replaced. They give the most bang for their value compared to other forms of energy. Nuclear power plants give off a lot of energy for very little radioactive material. Still, they take over 10 years to break even in costs, not including the maintenance costs (based on the scale of the plant). These nuclear reactors bring in their own problems; sourcing fuels for nuclear power plants is expensive and poses potential environmental risks.

Sourcing these fuels can affect the environment through ocean acidification, the greenhouse gasses such as CO2, N2O, and POX dissolving into waters and lowering the pH. This can kill off aquatic life, and the disturbance in the food chain will hit us humans like a truck. Moreover, mining for fossil fuels or even radioactive materials from caves leaks gasses into the atmosphere. It even misdirects the streams of water, disturbing agriculture around the area, which results in the same negatives as mentioned earlier. Scientists, though, have figured out a way to source uranium from the ocean; there are around 3 micrograms per liter of water, which tallies up to 4.5 billion tons that can supply energy for up to 100,000 years. However, the process is expensive; sifting 3 micrograms of uranium per liter seems tedious, and the technology does not exist to do so on a large, sustainable scale. When we do develop one, it may cause disturbances to the aquatic biome.

So, there isn't any one-way solution as of now, and only time will tell before either the temperature gets too hot and habitats become insatiable or we find another clean energy source that allows us to thrive for longer periods.

Let's say the nuclear route works out. The threats won't end there. The possibilities of nuclear fallouts become widely apparent, as almost all nations can access the power of nuclear energy. Nuclear fallout presents another harrowing scenario for humanity's survival. In a nuclear catastrophe, radioactive isotopes such as Strontium-90 and Cesium-137 can be released into the atmosphere. These isotopes mimic essential elements like calcium, accumulating in bones and tissues, leading to severe health consequences such as bone cancer and radiation sickness. The environmental dispersion of these isotopes can contaminate food and water sources, posing long-term health risks for populations exposed to radiation. Even just being exposed to radioactive compounds can lead to complications like cell death and mutations of sorts. Where bits of their DNA have their codes flipped by the radioactive particles, making cancer more likely to occur.

Let's stretch this out even further and assume that we create a utopia that never resorts to dropping nuclear warheads. Eventually, in an indefinite amount of time, Antibiotic resistance, driven by the overuse and misuse of antibiotics, threatens to be the next nail in the coffin. These hyperdefensive bacteria called superbugs are said to cause more deaths than cancer by 2050 because literally all medications are ineffective against them. Take the example of tuberculosis now; over 1.8 billion people have it as of now. It's not the dominating TB from a century ago, but a dormant one with adaptations to withstand the defensive conditions of the body, waiting to pounce when we slip up. The mechanisms of resistance include genetic mutations and the exchange of resistance genes between bacteria, facilitated by improper antibiotic prescribing practices in healthcare and agriculture. Bacteria grow waxy structures around themselves, they find ways to hide their chemical trails, and they develop counter chemicals to the cells in our body. Though there may be some advancements in technology which will eventually supersede the threat of these superbugs.

That's not the only way life can halt. Heated wars are sure to happen, with that comes biological and chemical warfare. Though banned by the Geneva Protocol, how long till someone acts out of bounds? We are talking Mustard gas and anthrax and a plethora of unknown weapons to be created. These weapons work to destroy the fundamental workings of humans, so there isn't even much of a cure, really. Mustard gas is a highly oxidizing agent, so it is corrosive. It also makes you drown on land, as the fumes turn into liquid within the lungs.

The threats posed by the passing of time make it seem over—or not. It becomes a really 50-50 scenario regarding the end of humanity. Do we progress so much further than the disasters that the only thing that could be the end for humanity is humanity itself? Or is there an inescapable net that will hit soon as time progresses?

We will overcome every hurdle to ponder about AS OF NOW. The people in the 1800s worried about the smallest cut, a 0.5% tax increases, and securing food in the winter. By the 1950s, most countries were modernized, food was plentiful, and people thrived. But then follows up a new set of problems, which was not the main concern to begin with! Emotional health, climate change, wars and peace, medicine inflation- we as a humanity have solved almost all problems plaguing us generation after generation, so the absolute truth is that its never over. Well, we'll get another set of problems to fight off, thats it.