A new Lancet Commission examined hundreds of possible threats and selected 17 that could cause large health losses – potentially even human extinction – could be assessed with available evidence and offered scope for policy action
A nuclear conflict could kill millions instantly – and, in the worst scenario considered by a new Lancet Commission, also throw enough smoke and particles into the atmosphere to block sunlight, disrupt food production and trigger a nuclear famine worldwide.
Malicious use of artificial intelligence also poses another extinction risk by helping people create biological weapons.