Tag Archives: Apocalypse

Apocalypse, Science & Technology

Apocalyptic Events – Super Virus & A.I. Takeover

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In this follow up  to our latest Patreon episode, Strange Matters continues the End of the World discussion with several events which could lead to an apocalyptic downfall for humanity.  In this episode we talk about the dangers of Super Viruses, as well as the threat of an Artificial Intelligence Takeover.  Both of these hazards have the potential to wipe out a large portion of humanity, if not drive mankind straight into extinction.

A “Super Virus” is any virus that is considered particularly powerful, deadly, and resistant to any type of treatment.  In order for a virus to be deadly enough to pose a threat to human life on Earth, it would have to possess several key traits.  Fortunately for us, any such deadly virus in the recent years has  been  contained and quarantined, but the risks is out there that a highly contagious and fatal Super Virus could show up at any time.

Artificial Intelligence is a term describing the intelligence that can be exhibited by a machine.  The goal being worked on currently is to create an A.I. in which a robotic machine or program had the ability to learn and think, much in the same way that a human mind works.  However, while many are excited about the prospect of man creating such superhuman intelligence in a machine, others are wary of the dangers.  An Artificial Intelligence could turn hostile, thinking of humans as its competitor on Earth, causing it to eliminate mankind rather than working alongside it.

Tune in to this episode and hear all about these two deadly events which could lead to an Apocalyptic end to humanity!

 

 

Apocalypse

The Zombie Apocalypse

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In this episode of Strange Matters we talk all about the undead monsters known as zombies.  These terrifying creatures are reanimated human corpses that have risen yet again, this time with an insatiable urge to consume living flesh.  As the popularity of zombies spread in the modern culture, many people wonder what life would be like surviving in a zombie apocalypse.  

Originally linked to Haitain folkore, where human corpses would rise by use of dark magic, the concept of zombies have changed over the past century.  In the early stages of the idea, most zombies were depicted in films and literature as simply mindless creatures who served their masters.   That all changed in the late 1960’s when suddenly zombies were shown  to be the stumbling, violent, and hungry monsters that we know and love them as today!

Along with discussing the history of zombies, we go into details about what would life be like in the zombie apocalypse.   We talk about how the outbreak might spread, the impacts it would have on society, and our thoughts on the best strategies to avoid becoming yet another unleaded being.

Finally we also go over the listener feedback sent in for our Zombie Survival Challenge!  From what the best weapon is to fight off the undead horde, the ideal settlement location and type, and general strategies to survive in a world overtaken by walking corpses, we discuss the different answers we got in response to the challenge. Thanks to everyone who participated!

 

 

Apocalypse, Science & Technology

Apocalyptic Events 2: Gray Goo Theory and The Grain Situation

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This follow up to the original “Apocalyptic Events” describes two utterly hopeless situations that involve the end of humanity as we know it. Eric discusses a famous end-of-the-world scenario that has been described in numerous films known as the “Gray Goo Theory:. Nanotechnology is at our  fingertips and as we develop and advance into the realm of science, the possibilities for the application of nanotech become endless. Nanotechnology is currently in use today, especially in the medical field. However the inception of nano-sized robots has led to the concept of these robots being programmed to breakdown matter on a molecular level and use this matter to construct duplicates of itself. These cold, emotionless “assemblers” are unable to differentiate between right and wrong and simply do what the only thing they know: tear apart everything and use it to produce more nanobots that then repeat the sequence. This situation would spiral out of control as more and more nanobots destroy the world and replace it with a gray flowing mass of nanobots held together by its own massive gravity. Is this possible? What can we do to stop this from ever happening?

GE crops

The “Grain Situation” is a much slower process that involves the development of genetically modified or GM crops. These crops are engineered to be resistant to pesticides, insects and extreme temperatures. They require little nutrients to flourish and are capable of growing on almost any surface. In this apocalyptic event masses of genetic crops, whether it be grain or something else, take over the surface of the planet. This could lead to famine, fires and even an ice age as the fires produce massive quantities of CO2 into the atmosphere. But what are the odds of this happening? Has this event already occurred in the world? Check out this episode and find out all about these two theories for yourself!

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Apocalypse

Apocalyptic Events

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In this episode of Strange Matters we discuss our favorite apocalyptic events that could bring about the end of the world as we know it! Ranging from interstellar disasters to super volcanic eruptions and even a man-made nuclear event, we go over just what would happen to Earth if one of these catastrophes were to strike, the possibilities that it could happen, and how life on this planet would be effected.

Gamma

Which apocalyptic event is the most disturbing? Which is the most likely for you to survive? Let us know what you think of these disasters, along with any others that interest and scare you!

Disclaimer!! We had some audio problems during the beginning of this episode, Eric’s mic wasn’t working correctly for about the first half before it kicks back in so some of his early audio is a bit distorted, hopefully you can still listen to the episode without much problem!

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