Patrick wrote:
> "It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine."
> R.E.M.
> It's pretty clear that visions of the end of the world reflect the societal
> fears of the era. So what's the end of the world now?
>
I'd go with biological - disease to be specific. We've still only beaten one
single bug in our quest for vaccines and cures, and some of the other bugs we
thought we had beaten are now back meaner and stronger and more prevalent than
ever.
What happens when an AIDS type virus emerges that isn't less common in some
societal groups than others. What happens when an Ebola type virus gets into a
major western city (by which I mean an air-transport hub).
I think the question is going to be does nature do the job, or do we do it - will
it be natural bugs or genetically engineered bugs, will it be by natural vectors,
or will it be biological war/terrorism.
Cheery thread Patrick...
Russell Chapman
Brisbane Australia
