Are humans as smart as they'd like to think they are? They have four potential and concurrent apocalypses headed their way - the threat of nuclear war between at least two nations, the increasing loss in effectiveness of antibiotics, worsening climate change and burgeoning overpopulation. There are other existential threats such as artificial intelligence outpacing humans in terms of intellectual development and losing control of future nano-technologies (the black goo scenario).
It's a miracle that nuclear weapons have not been used in anger since 1945 though there are a few players on the scene who may have less reticence in using them now. Even a limited exchange of nuclear weapons would bode ill for a lot of life on the planet.
Despite knowing the dire consequences of using such weapons, humankind still maintains tens of thousands of them in their arsenals.
Antibiotic resistance is rampant and getting worse. Superbugs thrive in hospitals and even the drugs of last resort are not killing these bugs. There's been no new antibiotic developed in over 30 years.
Strange, given that humanity knows it's on course to return to the pre-antibiotic era without new replacement antibiotics. Back to the era when a simple scratch could kill you.
97-98% of scientists are in consensus that climate change is real and caused by human activity. Yet equal time and credence is given to a very vocal 2-3% minority that disagrees. Many of these naysayers are backed by the fossil fuel industries whose sole interest in in keeping the money rolling into their coffers.
And the massive white elephant in the room is overpopulation. Not a single politician will address the issue. The Earth has a finite amount of resources, which are being used up at an alarming rate. More people means there's less to go around so everyone's standard of living will decrease. Add to that, the wealth gap between the top 1% and everyone else, and there'll be an even lower standard of living to look forward to.
Can humanity tackle and overcome these problems? Yes.
Is it willing to? No
The whole planet needs to pull together to tackle these issues because it really is a case of United We Stand Or Divided We Fall.
The Paris Climate accord was a step in the right direction where climate change is concerned. But Pres. Trump is putting "America First" and the rest of the world can go to hell in a handbasket. Every other nation who signed the accord is sticking with its goals and principles and there will be no renegotiation of terms to suit the USA. The selfish behaviour of one nation undermines an otherwise global movement to save the planet from disaster.
Drug companies won't invest into researching and developing new antibiotics because it's too expensive and there's no guarantee all the costs will be recouped by a drug that actually makes it to market.
That means that kind of research needs to be carried out by governments. But money is tight and budgets are being cut, especially in science. So the future development of new antibiotics doesn't look too rosy.
All in all, humanity seems to prefer sticking its collective head up its ass or sticking its fingers in its ears and singing "la-la-la" so it can't hear and face up to the numerous crises heading its way.
Are humans smart? No, not as smart as they'd like to think they are. They're the one species on this planet, seemingly with a death wish, that have the capability of wiping themselves out along a large proportion of other life on this planet which has as much right to be here as humanity does.
This species has the capability to destroy a lot of life on this planet either through direct action or through apathy and inaction.
Maybe the best we can hope for is that humanity goes quietly into that dark night and lets the rest of nature reclaim the planet.
I feel better after that rant! :)
RE: Humans Are Not Smarter Than Other Forms Of Life, Just Different