Our Final Hour

Humanity's fate and recommendations for survival

In Our Final Hour, Rees explores various risks of human extinction and their likelihood, notably those caused by the unchecked consequences of new technologies (such as nanotechnology or machine superintelligence), uncontrolled scientific experimentation, terrorist or fundamentalist violence, or destruction of the biosphere. He suggests that humanity's chances of survival could be improved by expanding into space.

In order to avoid human extinction, Rees advocates for worldwide regulation of some types of scientific research, and control of open access to such research.

Rees has long been active in disarmament campaigns, and although he now sees nuclear warfare as a less probable cause of extinction, he advocates arms control as much as control of science and technology (see also World government).

More concerning to him now is the possibility of major bioterrorist attacks, as evidenced by his outstanding bet (registered with the Long Bet Project) that such events will occur within the next twenty years. He states that, in the 1990s, Aum Shinrikyo tried unsuccessfully to obtain an Ebola virus sample, which they could now create in their Mount Fuji lab, using ingredients and instructions from the Internet.

Rees advocates free market-based options for space exploration and survival through colonization, and believes that the wealthy will push back the frontiers of space.

Publication data

• Sir Martin Rees, Our Final Hour: A Scientist's Warning: How Terror, Error, and Environmental Disaster Threaten Humankind's Future In This Century—On Earth and Beyond (2003), Basic Books, hardcover: , 2004 paperback:
• Sir Martin Rees, Our Final Century?: Will the Human Race Survive the Twenty-first Century? (2003) (UK) William Heinemann, hardcover: , 2004 Arrow paperback:

References

References

1. Hattenstone, Simon. (2003-04-24). "The end of the world as we know it (maybe)". The Guardian.
2. "Will humans wipe out humanity?". The Economist.
3. Illing, Sean. (2018-10-18). "Cosmologist Martin Rees gives humanity a 50-50 chance of surviving the 21st century".
4. Overbye, Dennis. (May 18, 2003). "It Was Fun While It Lasted". The New York Times.
5. Rees, Martin J.. (2003). "Our final hour: a scientist's warning: how terror, error, and environmental disaster threaten humankind's future in this century on earth and beyond". Basic Books.