When will the world end? know the time and day predicted by famous scientist, NASA replies by...

NASA and Stephen Hawking share concerns about Earth’s future, with Hawking predicting catastrophic consequences from climate change and overconsumption.

Pravrajya Suruchi

Updated : Dec 06, 2024, 07:33 PM IST

When will the world end?

The idea of Earth’s potential demise has long been a topic of debate in both scientific and philosophical circles. Recent warnings from NASA about existential threats to the planet have reignited discussions about humanity’s future, drawing comparisons to physicist Stephen Hawking’s grim predictions before his death in 2018. While NASA does not share Hawking’s exact timeline for Earth’s end, it does express concerns about significant threats like global warming, overconsumption of energy, and other risks that endanger our planet’s survival. With climate change becoming an ever-growing concern, the question arises: how close are we to the catastrophic events Hawking warned about?

In his later years, Stephen Hawking became increasingly concerned about humanity’s future. In the 2018 documentary The Search for a New Earth, he issued a stark warning about the year 2600. Hawking predicted that, unless humanity changed its ways, Earth could turn into "a gigantic ball of fire." He pointed to global warming, climate change, and the greenhouse effect as key contributors to this possible fate, stressing that these factors could ultimately cause the planet’s destruction.

Before his passing, Hawking was particularly vocal about the dangers of unchecked human consumption and overpopulation. He warned that Earth’s rapidly growing population and unsustainable energy use could make the planet uninhabitable, eventually transforming it into a scorched, lifeless world.

While NASA acknowledges some of Hawking’s concerns, the space agency does not support his specific predictions about Earth’s imminent destruction. A NASA spokesperson clarified that the agency has not made such claims. For over 50 years, NASA has conducted research on Earth’s environment, providing valuable data and observations to address risks such as those highlighted by Hawking. Instead of focusing on a specific timeline for Earth’s end, NASA is committed to ongoing research to understand and mitigate global threats.

NASA has consistently emphasized that one of the most urgent issues facing humanity is climate change. The agency has warned that the effects of human-caused global warming are already irreversible for the current generation. NASA has stated that the impacts are happening now and will only worsen as long as humans continue to add greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. The severity of climate change will depend on the actions humanity takes in the future, with more emissions leading to more extreme weather and other damaging effects. However, NASA also believes that by reducing emissions, we can still avoid some of the worst impacts of climate change.

While Hawking’s warning paints a bleak picture, NASA’s ongoing research offers a glimmer of hope, showing that efforts to reduce human impact on the environment can still make a significant difference in shaping the planet’s future.