The Last Human – A Glimpse Into The Far Future

Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell9 minutes read

Humans' belief in living in the end times may hinder creating a better world for future generations. The future of humanity is uncertain, with scenarios ranging from self-destruction to potentially trillions of future lives depending on human actions.

Insights

  • Humans' fixation on the end times has led to short-sightedness, impeding efforts to build a better future for upcoming generations.
  • The potential future scenarios for humanity vary greatly, from a limited existence on Earth to expansive colonization of stars, with each path offering vastly different outcomes in terms of progress and survival.

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Recent questions

  • How long have humans existed?

    200,000 years

  • What is the current global population?

    Around 8 billion

  • What is the UN's population prediction for 2100?

    Population peak around 2100

  • What are the potential scenarios for the future of humanity?

    Uncertain with self-destruction or progress

  • How many future humans could exist in different scenarios?

    Trillions to octillions depending on colonization

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Summary

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"Humanity's End Times Mindset Hinders Progress"

  • Humans have always believed they are living in the end times, leading to short-term thinking and hindering the creation of a better world for future generations.
  • Modern humans emerged 200,000 years ago, with a slow population growth until the agricultural and industrial revolutions significantly increased numbers.
  • Currently, there are around 8 billion people on Earth, with 117 billion humans born and 109 billion dying over the last 200,000 years.
  • The UN predicts a population peak around 2100, with 125 million births annually, but birth rates may not remain stable.
  • The future of humanity is uncertain, with the potential for self-destruction through inventions like nuclear weapons or solutions to avert catastrophic risks.
  • Scenario 1: If humans never leave Earth, with a conservative estimate of surviving for a million years, there could be roughly 100 trillion future humans.
  • Scenario 2: If humans leave Earth and expand into the solar system, the potential for progress and survival increases significantly, with billions of doctors, problem solvers, and developers.
  • Scenario 3: If humans colonize 100 billion stars and live for 10 billion years, generating 100 million births annually, there could be a hundred octillion future lives.
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