Lord Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal and Fellow of Trinity College Cambridge, gave a lecture on 5 November at the School of Oriental and African Studies entitled ‘Peering into the Future: The Bumpy Road Ahead’. The meeting was co-hosted by the Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy (CISD) and British Pugwash.
Our Earth is 45 million centuries old. But this century is the first when one species – ours – can determine the biosphere’s fate. There are threats to climate and biodiversity from the collective ‘footprint’ of 9 – 11 billion people seeking food, resources and energy. In addition, our globally-linked society is vulnerable to the unintended consequences of powerful new technologies – not only nuclear, but (even more) biotech, cyber, advanced A.I., and so forth. We need international guidelines to promote maximum benefits of new technologies, while minimizing catastrophic risks.
Listen to the lecture
