Scientific American: Humans already doomed to extinction.

[Binkie The Clown]

https://www.scientificamerican.com./article/humans-are-doomed-to-go-extinct/

Half a century on, the threat of nuclear annihilation has lost its imminence. As for overpopulation, more than twice as many people live on the earth now as in 1968, and they do so (in very broad-brush terms) in greater comfort and affluence than anyone suspected. Although the population is still increasing, the rate of increase has halved since 1968. Current population predictions vary. But the general consensus is that it’ll top out sometime midcentury and start to fall sharply. As soon as 2100, the global population size could be less than it is now. In most countries—including poorer ones—the birth rate is now well below the death rate. In some countries, the population will soon be half the current value. People are now becoming worried about underpopulation.
...SNIP...
What is more, over the past few decades, the quality of human sperm has declined massively, possibly leading to lower birth rates, for reasons nobody is really sure about. Pollution—a by-product of human degradation of the environment—is one possible factor. Another might be stress, which, I suggest, could be triggered by living in close proximity to other people for a long period. For most of human evolution, people rode light on the land, living in scattered bands. The habit of living in cities, practically on top of one another (literally so, in an apartment block) is a very recent habit.
...SNIP...
The most insidious threat to humankind is something called “extinction debt.” There comes a time in the progress of any species, even ones that seem to be thriving, when extinction will be inevitable, no matter what they might do to avert it. The cause of extinction is usually a delayed reaction to habitat loss. The species most at risk are those that dominate particular habitat patches at the expense of others, who tend to migrate elsewhere, and are therefore spread more thinly. Humans occupy more or less the whole planet, and with our sequestration of a large wedge of the productivity of this planetwide habitat patch, we are dominant within it. H. sapiens might therefore already be a dead species walking.

[keithbvadu2]

1. Humans are the virus?

Matrix virus scene

[hunter]

2. Most species end up extinct.

I doubt we're exceptional. This planet has seen many innovative species come and go like a wildfire

Most paleontologists can't help but take the long view. A few million years from now this civilization is a curious layer of trash in the geologic record.

That doesn't mean we can't find reasons to live joyfully today and protect what remains of the natural world we know for our children.

[PortTack]

3. ☝️☝️☝️☝️☝️☝️☝️

[Klaralven]

4. Back in the '80s, the beaches south of NYC had almost as many plastic tampon applicators as shells

Sewage and trash are more controlled now.

But I can't help but think that future paleontologists digging through the trash will characterize this as the Feminine Hygiene Era.

[ForgedCrank]

5. Looking at humanity from the perspective of

the universe as a whole, pretty much everything is destined to kill us off; It is inevitable.
It is only a question of when. It is not only us trying to kill ourselves off, it is the natural condition of our own planet and solar system. We are one massive volcanic eruption or asteroid collision away from outright extinction. It is a very humbling thing to know and understand just how insignificant we really are. And I seriously doubt there is any real chance to escape to a different location in order for our species to live on. The entire Mars thing is almost laughable, a place where climate change already happened, and the place is wrecked. The moons of Saturn are so saturated with radiation, we could never be viable there. Another like planet is but a dream due to the impossible distances. I just don't see a way to avoid it.
So yes, we are indeed doomed as things currently stand. It's just a damned shame that we can't all live in a more peaceful manner and enjoy what we have with each other while we are still here together.