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This is how humanity will end, according to some of the world's cleverest people

  • <p>Could social media be the reason for our demise? </p>
    1/11

    11. Facebook (2%)

    Could social media be the reason for our demise?

  • <p>3,744 people in the UK died from drug related deaths in 2016 (ONS) </p>
    2/11

    10. Drugs (2%)

    3,744 people in the UK died from drug related deaths in 2016 (ONS)

  • <p>A World Bank study says in order to end poverty, we must first solve inequality </p>
    3/11

    9. Inequality (4%)

    A World Bank study says in order to end poverty, we must first solve inequality

  • Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

    Yahoo News is better in the app

    Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

  • <p>Facebook robots were recently shut down after developing their own secret language </p>
    4/11

    8. Artificial Intelligence (4%)

    Facebook robots were recently shut down after developing their own secret language

  • <p>Trump’s approval rating is down to 33%, according to a new Quinnipiac university survey. 55% of people say they strongly disapprove of him. </p>
    5/11

    7. Trump/ignorant leaders (6%)

    Trump’s approval rating is down to 33%, according to a new Quinnipiac university survey. 55% of people say they strongly disapprove of him.

  • <p>17,958 were killed in terrorist attacks last year alone </p>
    6/11

    6. Fundamentalism/Terrorism – (6%)

    17,958 were killed in terrorist attacks last year alone

  • Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

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  • <p>Could the rise of fake news lead to the end of humanity? </p>
    7/11

    5. Ignorance/Distortion of truth – (6%)

    Could the rise of fake news lead to the end of humanity?

  • <p>The most likely to kill us slowly, and then all at once. </p>
    8/11

    4. Selfishness/dishonesty/loss of humanity – (8%)

    The most likely to kill us slowly, and then all at once.

  • <p>It’s estimated this could lead to 10 million deaths a year and could cost the global economy $100 trillion by the year 2050 </p>
    9/11

    3. Infectious disease/drug resistance – (8%)

    It’s estimated this could lead to 10 million deaths a year and could cost the global economy $100 trillion by the year 2050

  • Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

    Yahoo News is better in the app

    Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

  • <p>A respondent from Germany singles out “populist regimes in possession of nuclear weapons”, while John Mather is more concerned about nuclear weapons in the hands of terrorist groups </p>
    10/11

    2. Nuclear war (23%)

    A respondent from Germany singles out “populist regimes in possession of nuclear weapons”, while John Mather is more concerned about nuclear weapons in the hands of terrorist groups

  • <p>Richard J. Roberts, an English biochemist who shared the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1993 for work on gene splicing, thinks that feeding the world’s growing population is the biggest problem facing humanity. “The blatant disregard for scientific opinion is going to lead to a worldwide crisis,” He said. </p>
    11/11

    1. Population rise/environmental degradation (34%)

    Richard J. Roberts, an English biochemist who shared the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1993 for work on gene splicing, thinks that feeding the world’s growing population is the biggest problem facing humanity. “The blatant disregard for scientific opinion is going to lead to a worldwide crisis,” He said.

<p>Could social media be the reason for our demise? </p>
<p>3,744 people in the UK died from drug related deaths in 2016 (ONS) </p>
<p>A World Bank study says in order to end poverty, we must first solve inequality </p>
<p>Facebook robots were recently shut down after developing their own secret language </p>
<p>Trump’s approval rating is down to 33%, according to a new Quinnipiac university survey. 55% of people say they strongly disapprove of him. </p>
<p>17,958 were killed in terrorist attacks last year alone </p>
<p>Could the rise of fake news lead to the end of humanity? </p>
<p>The most likely to kill us slowly, and then all at once. </p>
<p>It’s estimated this could lead to 10 million deaths a year and could cost the global economy $100 trillion by the year 2050 </p>
<p>A respondent from Germany singles out “populist regimes in possession of nuclear weapons”, while John Mather is more concerned about nuclear weapons in the hands of terrorist groups </p>
<p>Richard J. Roberts, an English biochemist who shared the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1993 for work on gene splicing, thinks that feeding the world’s growing population is the biggest problem facing humanity. “The blatant disregard for scientific opinion is going to lead to a worldwide crisis,” He said. </p>
Georgie Darling

50 winners of the Nobel Prize have identified what they consider to be the biggest threats to humanity.

In a survey by Times Higher Education, the Nobel laureates shared their thoughts on issues facing science, technology and humanity a whole. More importantly, they also revealed which of these factors is most likely to put an end to life as we know it.

Unsurprisingly in our current climate, problems including nuclear war and population rise were high on the list.

But a few surprises also appeared among the 11 most highly cited answers.