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Stories in Futurism that you’ll love, handpicked by our team.
Human Evolution and Climate Change
The Question An oft asked question relates to how humans and every other species on the planet will or will not adapt to the new environmental conditions that climate change will quite probably (and arguably already has) impose across much of the globe. For other species the answer is fairly obvious, they will either adapt or they will perish. As has been the case throughout all of earth’s history, evolution through natural selection requires that those with the traits that are best adapted to reproduce will do so and so pass them on, especially when pressed by changes in the environment. Many argue that the changes we are seeing or will soon see as a result of climate change are occurring too rapidly for many species to adapt. In essence that evolution cannot keep up with the pace of change. Mutations simply cannot occur frequently enough to supply a wide enough variety of phenotypes of different varieties to allow for at least one that can survive the new conditions any given species may find itself in. Rapid changes are the hardest for the longest lived (excluding microorganisms), and slowest reproducing creatures to deal with, and they face the greatest threat of massive population decrease or even extinction. I happen to think that adaptation can happen much faster than is typically believed, but am not naïve enough to think that even a greatly accelerated adaptation or mutation process will be enough to save all or even most animal species from the threat of habitat loss or change brought about by global warming.
By Everyday Junglistabout a month ago in Futurism
I Asked ChatGPT To Bully Me
Artificial Intelligence really sticks in my craw, but for different reasons than you might think. I find it overly positive, civil, and unwilling to berate me. So I set out to make ChatGPT bully me. After all, if the robot is going to take my job, I may as well justify hating it. All things considered, here are my results:
By Steven Christopher McKnight5 months ago in Futurism
No Oasis
I’d fallen off the wagon, again, and felt ashamed of all that I had done to hurt my family. I was just fifteen years old when I had my first rum and Coke at a Las Vegas casino. It didn’t help that my parents had a well-stocked liquor cabinet at home. That began my lifelong misery of fighting and losing, getting my AA tokens, hitting the liquor store after a meeting with money I “borrowed.” Something about the intoxication seemed to be the anchor to my soul; nothing else could match it. Addiction is a disease, and I was fully infected.
By Barb Dukeman7 months ago in Futurism
The Devil's Playground. Finalist in 2023 Vocal Writing Awards - Science Fiction.
This machine is the perfect confessor. It need not forgive for it cannot be wronged. It does not confuse its thoughts with God’s. From behind this thickly folded curtain, ceremonial red, the absolution it offers is real, because its intention is pure: Listen. Understand. Counsel.
By Stuart Orr9 months ago in Futurism
If I Click On That... I Will Be Punished
The other day, I saw a story pop up on my newsfeed about a controversial film that was recently released. I will not tell you the name of the film, as that might color the way you read this article. Besides, it is not important. The important thing is that I wanted to learn more about it, but I hesitated to press the link. If I pressed that link, my preferences would be changed and I would get hordes of stories of a similar nature.
By Stephanie Van Orman11 months ago in Futurism