# \[Poll\] How will mankind be destroyed? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 9, 2007, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-will-mankind-be-destroyed/425749 "2007-11-09T04:10:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-will-mankind-be-destroyed/425749/21 "2007-11-09T22:47:00Z")
Attack of the Evil Flying Monkeys. Be very afraid. They fling poo. _ **Evil poo!!!** _ ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-will-mankind-be-destroyed/425749/22 "2007-11-09T23:14:00Z")
either: a) we evolve into something else, which will eat humans to the brink of extinction (the Morlock hypothesis) b) asteroid impact ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-will-mankind-be-destroyed/425749/23 "2007-11-09T23:23:12Z")
This is the way the World ends Not with a bang, but a whimper… ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-will-mankind-be-destroyed/425749/24 "2007-11-10T01:55:43Z")
[QUOTE=askeptic] This is the way the World ends Not with a bang, but a whimper… [/QUOTE] Either: 1. We will survive and evolve/ mutate/ build our replacements, and humanity as we know it will disappear (except maybe for a few primitives living in preserves); OR 2. We will die with a drawn-out whimper from a combination of ecological collapse and resource depletion, along with a couple of fits of thermonuclear stupidity. The next hundred years will more or less decide this question. ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-will-mankind-be-destroyed/425749/25 "2007-11-10T02:22:41Z")
Answering the question at its utmost broadest (what will eliminate human beings?), I would suspect some cosmic event, at an unknown (but extremely unlikely to be anytime soon) distance from the present, and outside of our control, will end it all. What sort of humanity is present at the destruction, mind you, is another, probably unanswerable, question… ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-will-mankind-be-destroyed/425749/26 "2007-11-10T04:39:51Z")
The Internet. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-will-mankind-be-destroyed/425749/27 "2007-11-10T04:48:13Z")
the Vogons will hold their latest poetry recital here, then in a fit of spite, will blow up the planet ---
**Author:** ![SiouxChief](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@SiouxChief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiouxChief)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-will-mankind-be-destroyed/425749/28 "2007-11-10T04:58:45Z")
S. Gamma Ray Burst ---
**Author:** ![Yeeter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/96bed5/32.png) [@Yeeter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeeter)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-will-mankind-be-destroyed/425749/29 "2007-11-10T05:05:13Z")
[QUOTE=SiouxChief] S. Gamma Ray Burst [/QUOTE] Wouldn’t we hulkify after that? OOOoooh, I get it “Hulk Smash (humankind)!” ---
**Author:** ![Yeeter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/96bed5/32.png) [@Yeeter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeeter)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-will-mankind-be-destroyed/425749/30 "2007-11-10T05:09:05Z")
[QUOTE=Governor Quinn] What sort of humanity is present at the destruction, mind you, is another, probably unanswerable, question… [/QUOTE] What kind of futurist are you? It’s answerable! Use your imagination! …and maybe some extra exclamation points! The risk, if you are wrong, is that the religion based on your teachings will crumble. Big deal! Take a chance! ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-will-mankind-be-destroyed/425749/31 "2007-11-10T05:10:17Z")
I hold with those who favor fire… ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-will-mankind-be-destroyed/425749/32 "2007-11-10T05:20:38Z")
[QUOTE=Larry Borgia] The being who is dreaming us wakes up. [/QUOTE] I really hope it’s Bob Newhart. _Crosses Fingers_ Seriously though, probably a combination of factors will eradicate a large number of humans but I seriously doubt we will be killed off completely until the sun expands to the point where the earth can’t support human life anymore. That’s a little ways off though. I also think reality TV might be the death of us all. I have no proof though. ---
**Author:** ![Yumblie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/76d3ee/32.png) [@Yumblie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yumblie)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-will-mankind-be-destroyed/425749/33 "2007-11-10T05:31:40Z")
[QUOTE=Yeeter] B. Robot uprising (from the movie I, Robot – I didn’t read the book, I assume it is the same story :dubious: ) [/QUOTE] Just so you know, the book has nothing to do with the end of mankind. [QUOTE=Yeeter] K. Shark attacks (from the movie Jaws) [/QUOTE] Granted sharks can wreak havoc upon mankind who dares enter the sea, but I’m doubtful that sharks could wipe out _all_ of mankind. But if they teamed up with dolphins and octopuses…well then, we’re doomed. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-will-mankind-be-destroyed/425749/34 "2007-11-10T06:07:14Z")
[QUOTE=Yeeter] B. Robot uprising (from the movie I, Robot – I didn’t read the book, I assume it is the same story :dubious: ) [/QUOTE] Ooooh, no. Not even close. Say that three times and the corpse of Isaac Asimov will rise from the grave and strangle that movie’s directer. So say it ! SAY IT ! ! ---
**Author:** ![Below\_Me](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/da6949/32.png) [@Below\_Me](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Below_Me)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2007, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-will-mankind-be-destroyed/425749/35 "2007-11-11T04:00:43Z")
[QUOTE=Yeeter] This is an informal poll on how you believe mankind will be destroyed. I have come up with a few suggestions, mostly based on movies. Vote on mine, or come up with your own. Support your answers, show your work. A. Overpopulation (from the movie Soylent Green) B. Robot uprising (from the movie I, Robot – I didn’t read the book, I assume it is the same story :dubious: ) C. Disease (from the movie Outbreak, or the news during the Bird Flu thing) D. Zombies (I don’t think they make movies about zombies) E. Rapture (from the Left Behind movies) F. Global warming or other severe climate change (from the movie An Inconvenient Truth or The Day After Tomorrow) G. FEMA (this joke would’ve killed a year or so ago) H. Meteor (from the movie Armageddon) I. Alien invasion (from the movie E.T.) J. Stupidification (from the movie Idiocracy) K. Shark attacks (from the movie Jaws) L. Demons (from the movie Constantine) M. Apes (from the movie Planet of the Apes) N. Thermonuclear War (from the movie WarGames) O. Supervillains (comic book movie genre) P. Drug Epidemic (Robocop 2) [/QUOTE] A) Will lead to N) and that will lead to D) The flesh/brain eating variety from there everything goes down hill. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2007, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-will-mankind-be-destroyed/425749/36 "2007-11-11T05:12:37Z")
Well if I told you, then you’d just try to _stop_ me. ---
**Author:** ![Montgomery0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/0ea827/32.png) [@Montgomery0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montgomery0)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2007, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-will-mankind-be-destroyed/425749/37 "2007-11-11T05:20:26Z")
[QUOTE=adam yax] That is a joke right? [/QUOTE] [Proof!](http://www.cracked.com/article_15643_5-scientific-reasons-zombie-apocalypse-could-actually-happen.html) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2007, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-will-mankind-be-destroyed/425749/38 "2007-11-11T05:35:38Z")
Social Darwinism run riot. ---
**Author:** ![mamboman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecb155/32.png) [@mamboman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mamboman)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2007, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-will-mankind-be-destroyed/425749/39 "2007-11-11T06:17:28Z")
[QUOTE=Yeeter] K. Shark attacks (from the movie Jaws) [/QUOTE] Once they have Hitler’s brain implanted in them, there will be no stopping them. ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2007, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-will-mankind-be-destroyed/425749/40 "2007-11-11T06:33:17Z")
I bet we keep on living and evolving until the planet becomes inhospitable, either because the sun is dying, major climate change (not this silly global warming stuff. I mean REAL climate change like what killed the dinosaurs), or something similar. We can survive some pretty tough environments though, so I can’t imagine a scenario that kills every last human until the sun is gone. So we have what, a couple of million years? Or is it just hundreds of thousands? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-will-mankind-be-destroyed/425749.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-will-mankind-be-destroyed/425749.md?page=3)