Human extinction

Human extinction or omnicide is the hypothetical <a href="/facts/Extinction/24p5NP2q">end</a> of the <a href="/facts/Human/rlcTENsr">human species</a>, either by <a href="/facts/Population_decline/PyqymDSt">population decline</a> due to extraneous natural causes, such as an <a href="/facts/Impact_event/fbWu9Q4p">asteroid impact</a> or <a href="/facts/Supervolcano/wTWrBEja">large-scale volcanism</a>, or via <a href="/facts/Anthropogenic_hazard/d7oHeBe7">anthropogenic destruction</a> (self-extinction).
Some of the <a href="/facts/Global_catastrophic_risk/P74aJr4H">many possible contributors</a> to anthropogenic hazard are <a href="/facts/Effects_of_global_warming_on_humans/4QYsgLYK">climate change</a>, <a href="/facts/Nuclear_holocaust/mDXd7Phv">global nuclear annihilation</a>, <a href="/facts/Biological_warfare/hLnbu8Sd">biological warfare</a>, <a href="/facts/Weapon_of_mass_destruction/JfsDSeGo">weapons of mass destruction</a>, and <a href="/facts/Ecological_collapse/1ebBu35e">ecological collapse</a>. Other scenarios center on emerging technologies, such as <a href="/facts/Existential_risk_from_artificial_general_intelligence/j7oxWDYY">advanced artificial intelligence</a>, <a href="/facts/Biotechnology/8eFnI6FB">biotechnology</a>, or <a href="/facts/Gray_goo/Yfwq0ff2">self-replicating nanobots</a>.
The scientific consensus is that there is a relatively low risk of near-term human extinction due to natural causes. The likelihood of human extinction through humankind's own activities, however, is a current area of research and debate.

Human extinction open-in-new

Human extinction