A portent of things to come

Dear Sir,

The Zika virus has now been classified as a global threat as it continues to migrate across inter-continental frontiers.
It is difficult to predict plausible events that will guide or decimate mankind in the decades ahead. Earthquakes and floods will occasionally kill tens of thousands of people in developing countries; of greater consequences would be a massive earthquake in North America or Japan. Such a quake could cause damage worth a trillion dollars, triggering a worldwide depression and setting back human progress by a decade.
How much of humanity could be wiped out in the future by a naturally-arising pathogen? The worldwide influenza of 1918 killed 30 million, and Aids had killed thousands by 2000. New deadly viruses are likely to emerge, with deadly consequences.
The earth’s magnetic-field reverses polarity every few hundred thousand years. During the next reversal the ozone layer will be unprotected from charged solar particles that could weaken its ability to protect humans from ultraviolent radiation.
Nuclear power poses another threat; it could result in radioactive pollution and even a general nuclear war that could kill millions of people. Bio-weapons and Nanotech weapons will be the next generation of weapons.
Fuel shortages could see civilisation crumble. Without supplies of energy, the world’s economy would collapse, and, more importantly, we will not be able to grow and transport even a fraction of the food the world’s 7bn plus people need to survive.
If crop failures, for any reason, is sufficiently widespread and affects enough species, then the end of modern civilisation will be the result.

Farouk Araie, farouk.araie@telkomsa.net


Don’t blame the messenger  

Dear Sir,

The letter “Don’t focus on negative news”  (Gulf Times, February 4) was not fair to Gulf Times. I don’t think the paper is focusing on negative news about any country, including India. I find the coverage in the paper balanced in general. The problem is when we readers have own likes and dislikes and want the media to be in line with them.
Both positive and negative things happen in all parts of the world. The media’s duty is to present them to their readers and views without bias and prejudice.
Don’t blame the messenger because the message is unpleasant!

Rajesh Nair, rajeshnair.it@gmail.com

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