Global Catastrophic Risks

Milan M. 'Cirkovi'c, PhD, is a senior research associate of the Astronomical Observatory of Belgrade, (Serbia) and a professor of Cosmology at Department of Physics, University of Novi Sad (Serbia). He received his Ph. D. in Physics from the State University of New York at Stony Brook (USA). His primary research interests are in the fields of astrophysical cosmology (baryonic dark matter, star formation, future of the universe), astrobiology (anthropic principles, SETI studies, catastrophic episodes in the history of life), as well as philosophy of science (risk analysis, future studies, foundational issues in quantum mechanics and cosmology).

Foreword ; Introduction ; BACKGROUND ; Long-term astrophysical processes ; Evolution theory and the future of humanity ; Millenial tendencies in responses to apocalyptic threats ; Cognitive biases potentially affecting judgememnt of global risks ; Observation selection effects: the Fermi paradox, the Doomsday argument and the simulation argument ; Systems-based risk analysis ; Catastrophes and insurance ; Public policy toward catastrophe ; RISKS FROM NATURE ; Supervolcanism and other geophysical processes of catastrophic import ; Hazards from comets and asteroids ; Influence of supernovae, gamma-ray bursts, solar flares, and cosmic rays on the terrestrial environment ; RISKS FROM UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES ; Climate change and global risk ; Plagues and pandemics: past, present, and future ; Artificial Intelligence as a positive and negative factor in global risk ; Big troubles, imagined and real ; Catastrophe, social collapse, and and human extinction ; The continuing threat of nuclear war ; Catastrophic nuclear terrorism: a preventable peril ; Biotechnology and biosecurity ; Nanotechnology as global catastrophic risk ; The totalitarian threat ; Acknowledgements ; Index ; Author's Biographies