Doomsday: Friday, 13 November, A.D. 2026 (1960)

(science.org)

39 points | by voxleone 33 minutes ago

4 comments

  • dnlgrmm 10 minutes ago
    Beautifully shows how most predictions that extrapolate from past data are too simplistic. We're approaching peak global population and almost all industrialized nations are more worried about population decline than overpopulation these days. Which is why I'm not worried about superintelligence or data centers in space.
    • gchamonlive 5 minutes ago
      [delayed]
    • sandworm101 5 minutes ago
      >>> or data centers in space.

      I am about as worried about data centers in space as I am about jetpacks disrupting the flying car market.

  • chiph 3 minutes ago
    Overpopulation was a big topic in the early 1970's, with competing dire predictions.

    If you haven't watched it, Soylent Green with Edward G Robinson and Charlton Heston is an illustration of this (no spoilers please!) It was based on Harry Harrison's novel Make Room, Make Room where population growth was out of control, and human life was worth so little that the police used mechanical scoops to clear rioters from the streets.

    And then on the other side, we have Blade Runner where Earth's population is declining because of off-world colonization and replicants are created for labor.

  • trusche 9 minutes ago
    Wrong premise, but otherwise feels about right.
  • madduci 1 minute ago
    Another kind of Doomsday happened instead: the Outlook Outage, blocking companies on a global scale by sending/receiving emails