Scientists have revealed the exact date that Earth is set to face a ‘mass extinction’ as we enter 2025.
It’s just what we need to hear as we wind down the year and start our New Year’s resolutions – when exactly this is all going to end.
Maybe we don’t need to worry so much about doing Dry January or quitting chocolate after all.
Scientists may have a date for the end of the world (DrPixel/Getty Images)
According to one study, which was conducted by the University of Bristol, we now have a pretty good idea of when life on Earth may come to an end.
But fear not, it’s a long way off yet.
No one knows yet how it will actually happen, but researchers have found out through computer simulations that humans will probably go extinct in 250 million years time.
With the rising temperatures, the study suggests that mammals won’t be able to adjust to the environment as temperatures will be between 104°F to 158°F (40°C to 70°C).
However, global warming could mean that humanity ends up bringing that end date closer.
As Earth’s tectonic plates move slightly each year, there are times when they come together to form a supercontinent every 400 to 600 million years, which might trigger some nasty natural disasters too.
But it’ll mostly signify the end of times.
Climate change is speeding up the process (chuchart duangdaw/Getty Images)
Lead author Dr Alexander Farnsworth, Senior Research Associate with the Cabot Institute for the Environment at University of Bristol, said: “The newly-emerged supercontinent would effectively create a triple whammy, comprising the continentality effect, hotter sun and more CO2 in the atmosphere, of increasing heat for much of the planet. The result is a mostly hostile environment devoid of food and water sources for mammals.
“Widespread temperatures of between 40 to 50 degrees celsius, and even greater daily extremes, compounded by high levels of humidity would ultimately seal our fate. Humans – along with many other species – would expire due to their inability to shed this heat through sweat, cooling their bodies.”
Co-author Dr Eunice Lo, Caboteer and Research Fellow in Climate Change and Health at the University of Bristol added that we need to be thinking about our fossil fuel, saying: “It is vitally important not to lose sight of our current Climate Crisis, which is a result of human emissions of greenhouse gases. While we are predicting an uninhabitable planet in 250 million years, today we are already experiencing extreme heat that is detrimental to human health. This is why it is crucial to reach net-zero emissions as soon as possible.”
