technology will destroy our planet!!!!

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Technology Will Destroy Our Planet!!! By: Matthew van Gennip Student # 100152991 Class: Social Impact of Technology GNED1002

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Page 1: Technology will destroy our planet!!!!

Technology Will Destroy Our Planet!!!

By: Matthew van GennipStudent # 100152991Class: Social Impact of Technology GNED1002

Page 2: Technology will destroy our planet!!!!

Introduction

Our universe is full of planets that are unable to support life. Our planet is one of the lucky few that does. There is an anonymous quote that states “We are the architects of our own demise.” Technology may ultimately be the cause of our planets destruction. This presentation will look at some of the technologies that could destroys our world.

Note: Throughout this presentation I have included links to videos that can be used to provide additional information on a given topic.

Page 3: Technology will destroy our planet!!!!

The Rise of the Machine

Machines have made our lives easier.

Machines can extend our lifespan.

Machines now operate planes (predator drone) (KzoMedia, 2006), power plants, and other municipal systems.

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The Rise of the Machines

IBM WATSON’S AI COMPUTER

Futurist such as Vernor Vinge have predicted the Technological Singularity (Vernor, 2011).

In the next 30 years computers will have developed superhuman intelligence (Strickland).

Machines may see humans as irrelevant and wipe out the human race as a result.

Page 5: Technology will destroy our planet!!!!

Nuclear Power

Clean Energy that gets our world off of fossil fuels.

Produces less CO2 then Coal or Natural Gas power plants (Brain & Lamb).

Average Nuclear Power plant produces 20 metric tons of radio active waste (Brain & Lamb).

Chernobyl and Fukushima-Daiichi  are two examples of nuclear disasters that cost many people their lives (Brain & Lamb).

Can weaponize the technology to create Atomic Bombs.

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Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence

Expanding our knowledge of the Universe (SETI Institute, 2012).

Could potentially make contact with another worlds.

We could make contact with another world that is more advanced then our own and wants to destroy our world or conquer it for the resources.

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Genetic Engineering

“Genetic engineering is a process in which recombinant DNA (rDNA) technology is used to introduce desirable traits into organisms” (FDA, 2011).

Produces pesticide resistance plants.

Animals can be larger.

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Genetic Engineering

Long term health effects of genetically modified foods are unknown.

Creation of biological weapons such a viruses could wipe out humanity.

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Computer Viruses

Computers have connected our world.

Computers have made it possible to run facilities such as nuclear power plants, hydro electric dams, oil pipelines, oil tankers.

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5. Computer Viruses

Stuxnet is an example of a computer worm that has been used in cyber warfare (Nguyen, 2011).

The worm was designed to target Iranian uranium enrichment equipment in an effort to slow its nuclear weapons program (Nguyen, 2011).

Given our worlds connected systems the potential for a virus to cause a cascading failure of our computer systems could be what destroys our planet.

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Nano Bots

Nano bots is an emerging technology whereby tiny robots at or close to the scale of a nanometer can be used in concert to perform a variety of tasks (Strickland).

These nano bots have a number of potential applications in the medical industry in the fight against cardio vascular disease and Cancer (Strickland).

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Nano Bots

Nanobots could be engineered for destructive purposes.

They have the potential to be used to attack healthy cells.

Nano Bots may one day be self replicating and because of exponential growth may consume the world as seen in this humorous video (Rowe, 2009).

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Conclusion

As a species we have the potential to do amazing things with the technology we create. As we develop newer and more sophisticated technologies we may in fact be the architects of our own demise. No one may know this fact better than J. Robert Oppenheimer the father of the atomic bomb. In an interview he quotes the Hindu Scripture Bhagavad-Gita; 'Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds' (Oppenheimer). So many technologies have the potential for good or for evil. We can only hope that technology will continue to be used to improve our world and not destroy it.

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References

Brain, M., & Lamb, R. (n.d.). How nuclear power works. Retrieved from http://www.howstuffworks.com/nuclear-power.htm

FDA. (2011, May 23). Genetic engineering. Retrieved from http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/DevelopmentApprovalProcess/GeneticEngineering/default.htm

KzoMedia. (Producer) (2006). Predator drones [Web]. Retrieved from http://youtu.be/nMh8Cjnzen8

N.A. (n.d.). 10 ways technology could destroy the world. Retrieved from http://www.virginmedia.com/digital/galleries/how-technology-will-destroy-the-world.php?ssid=1

Nguyen, T. C. (2011, July 2011). Infographic: how stuxnet supervirus works.. Retrieved from http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/thinking-tech/infographic-how-stuxnet-supervirus-works/7698

Oppenheimer, R. J. (Performer) (N.D.). Now i am become death, the destroyer of worlds [Web]. Retrieved from http://youtu.be/26YLehuMydo

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References

Rowe, A. (2009, March 10). How to destroy the world with nanotechnology. Retrieved from http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/03/evilnanotech/

SETI Institute. (2012). Seti institue. Retrieved from http://www.seti.org/

Strickland, J. (n.d.). How nanorobots will work. Retrieved from http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/nanorobot6.htm

Strickland, J. (n.d.). What's the technological singularity?. Retrieved from http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/high-tech-gadgets/technological-singularity.htm

Vernor, V. (Performer) (2011). Vernor vinge on the technological singularity [Web]. Retrieved from http://youtu.be/5zMAiGcDHG8