[coberst]

Extinguishing the Human Species

Evidently human females are born with all of their eggs already in their body. I have often speculated that some form of radiation might some day make every human female egg sterile.

“HOW MANY EGGS DOES A WOMAN ACTUALLY HAVE?
A human female typically has about 400,000 follicles/potential eggs, all formed before birth. Only several hundred (about 480) of these “eggs” will actually ever be released during her reproductive years. Normally, in humans, after the onset of puberty, due to the stimulation of follicular-stimulating-hormone (FSH) one “egg” per cycle matures and is released from its ovary. One month the left ovary will release a potential egg and the next month the right ovary will release a potential egg.”
Female Reproductive System, # of eggs in the female body, female genitalia . . .

If I had the power to sterilize all human female eggs and thus in 100 years clear the planet of humans I would give it careful consideration.

I suspect that within the next 200 years we humans will most likely bring an end to our species and possibly the end to all life on this planet.

I think that the only way to prevent this is for our species to become much more intellectually sophisticated than it is now; I see little evidence that this will occur. The problems we face today are enormous and while we have the brain power to prevent this we may well not have the necessary character traits to do so. I suspect our species is a dead end species.

Do you think that the human species might extinguish it self within a few centuries?

[startled]

Originally Posted by coberst

Do you think that the human species might extinguish it self within a few centuries?

It's possible, but the egg sterilization you just described seems to be among the least likely scenarios. We have many more effective ways to kill ourselves off.

[Zythryn]

I am hoping mankind will 'grow up' in that time rather than destroy civilization.
I don't believe we will wipe out all human life, although we could easily destroy our civilization. Either through action (nuclear war, biological weapons, etc) or inaction (GW, killer asteroids, etc).

However, I don't believe we have the capability to wipe out all life on earth. During the 'snowball' era life survived (very small life, but life). Even if just as bacteria, life will survive, prosper and hopefully attain a higher level of intelligence than the life the wiped out its own civilization.

[freeztar]

This sounds a lot like the movie "Children of Men". It's the same concept. Humans can no longer reproduce and only have a century to live and then...a single baby is born.

I recommend it, it's a great movie.

[last]

a woman body contains mutiple hundred thousands of eggs, they naturally waste hundreds, have a few children typical two or three, then the rest shrivel from menopause. All genetic material goes down the tube, no pun intended... Plenty of eggs

curious how every woman could lose fertility...diease, mutation, or some other poison?

doesn't some place aborts the baby if it is a girl? something about not want to pay dowry. interesting but thats a cutural influence not world wide.

i doubt it, but it is possible that we could hang are own race.
what kills human would have to be big hell of a disaster. We have settled all over the world.

[coberst]

last

I suspect some form of radiation resulting from a nuclear explosion might cause such a thing.

[Moontanman]

If anything results in the elimination of the human race it will be religion, ignorance, stupidity, and refusal to change.