Humanity now faces 17 threats - two of them could lead to its extinction

An international expert committee of The Lancet journal has identified 17 catastrophic threats to human health by 2100. Two of them, large-scale nuclear war and malicious use of artificial intelligence, were defined as having the potential to cause the extinction of the human species. The report is based on data analysis from 204 countries and offers a three-component action plan to reduce harm.

An international expert committee commissioned by the medical journal The Lancet has published a new report identifying 17 catastrophic threats to human health and survival by the year 2100. The report, prepared as part of The Lancet's Commission on the Global Threats to Health in the 21st Century, is based on data analysis from 204 countries and territories and on future projections. Out of hundreds of possible threats, 17 were identified as catastrophic, and two were classified as having the potential to cause the extinction of the human species: large-scale nuclear war, which could lead to a 'nuclear winter' and global food shortages, and malicious use of artificial intelligence, especially for developing biological weapons. The researchers estimate that the likelihood of both scenarios is relatively low, but the potential consequences are severe enough to warrant separate consideration. The remaining threats include air pollution, climate change, pandemics, antimicrobial resistance, obesity, high blood pressure, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, poor mental health, aging, child malnutrition, income inequality, low educational attainment, declining health development assistance, and conventional wars. The report emphasizes the interconnections between the threats and proposes a three-component action plan: early preparedness, investment in scientific breakthroughs, and ongoing monitoring of threats.