The unexpected events of 2022 served as a warning of an apocalypse that humanity would face, an apocalypse of our own making.
Live Science has highlighted 10 frightening findings showing that if we don’t quickly change our planet-destroying behaviors, humanity will face climate catastrophes that seem straight out of apocalyptic movies.
Are humans pushing the planet toward “the end of the world”? – (Image: LIVE SCIENCE)
1. Zombie virus revives.
Many ancient viruses have seen the sun again after thousands, even tens of thousands of years, being “sealed” in permafrost. A recent study has shown that 13 such species are capable of resurrecting from the Siberian permafrost. Some of these species are fully capable of mutating to create a devastating new epidemic for humans, as our immune systems are completely vulnerable to these species that were thought to have disappeared long ago.
2. The land sank into the sea.
Rising sea levels are a real possibility, turning many densely populated modern cities into lagoons. Estimates suggest that sea levels in coastal areas of the United States could rise by an average of 30 cm by 2050, a catastrophic event for areas like Miami. This will likely be the same fate for many other cities in other countries, all due to climate change.
3. Glaciers disappear.
The iconic Yellowstone and Yosemite national parks could lose all their glaciers by 2050, according to a United Nations forecast, with the threat that half of the world’s ice will disappear around the same time.
4. Climate chaos
Climate change is a phenomenon characterized by erratic and extreme weather events that disrupt previous predictive models when pushed to a critical point. In the worst-case scenario, future Earth could experience drastic seasonal changes similar to those found on extraterrestrial planets.
5. Polar bears dive into trash.
The events unfolding in the Arctic are clear evidence that the Earth is becoming a giant garbage dump, driving species to the brink of extinction – and that future could include ourselves.
6. Worse weather
The heatwaves of summer and the sub-zero temperatures of winters accompanied by blizzards, as the US and some other countries have endured this year, may only be the beginning, as climate change is fostering monstrous storms, exacerbating droughts and floods through extreme weather patterns.
7. Penguins on the brink of extinction
Emperor penguins, the iconic symbol of Antarctica, have just joined the ranks of threatened species, facing extinction, highlighting just how quickly the Earth is melting.
8. The Sixth Mass Extinction
The Earth is heading towards its sixth mass extinction, with millions of species disappearing in a short period of time. At the current rate of warming, it is predicted that by 2500 a mass extinction event similar to the dinosaur extinction will engulf the world.
9. The point of “no return”
There will come a critical point, if crossed, that will permanently and irreversibly alter Earth’s climate. There are 16 key tipping points to “unlock” this deadly gateway, including the melting of ice in the Arctic and Antarctic, the death of coral reefs… These are already happening.
10. The “Doomsday” Glacier
Thwaites, more ominously nicknamed the “Doomsday Glacier,” is considered a death clock for Earth, capable of raising sea levels by over 3 meters if it melts. It is melting extremely rapidly and has the potential to break away from West Antarctica.
