Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster: The Aftermath The Chernobyl nuclear disaster was the most devastating avoidable mistake committed in the 1980's. The mistake was so costly, in fact, that a radius of 1,600 square miles surrounding the former site of the power plant is uninhabitable. While the total number of lives lost and impacted is undetermined, thousands of cases of cancer are attributed to the radiation emitted from the remnants of the reactor. Twenty-three percent of Belarus's former territory is now off-limits. The estimated cost of the cleanup is $235 billion and counting. While I can continue listing the horrifying effects of the disaster, I'll instead focus on what happened and...
#2: Supervolcano Eruption – Unlikely SHTF Events
Yellowstone Supervolcano Eruption: Fantasy or Legitimate Doomsday Scenario? A little over a decade ago, I heard Yellowstone National Park is home to a supervolcano that is overdue for an eruption. Supervolcano? Overdue? What makes a volcano "super" and what is the impact of a supervolcano eruption? A supervolcano can spew over 1,000 cubic kilometers of volcanic material in a single eruption. This can have devastating effects on the planet, potentially returning us to the dark ages. The largest Yellowstone eruption of 2,240 cubic kilometers of material occurred over 2.1 million years ago. On average, Yellowstone erupts once every 600,000-700,000 years. The last eruption occurred rou...
#1: Alien Invasion – Unlikely SHTF Events
Are We Alone? News articles suggesting the existence of UFO's have been circulating lately. Stories about Air Force pilots encountering unexplainable objects during training flights are going viral. Former Senator Harry Reid admitted to the existence of a US government sponsored program responsible for investigating UFO sightings. In all likelihood, these sightings have mundane explanations. That said, the uptick in UFO discussions has sparked the public's collective imagination. The biggest question on people's minds is: are we alone in the universe? Honestly, I hope we are alone. If these UFO's are piloted by aliens, then we've encountered more intelligent beings. These mo...
We’re Doomed if We Don’t Consider Statistics When Making Decisions
Why Would You Make Decisions that Could Kill You? A few years ago, the CEO of Reddit, Steve Huffman, got laser eye surgery. This doesn't sound like headline worthy news, but he said he paid for the procedure in order to increase his odds of survival in the event of a disaster. On the surface, this sounds like a rational move a multi-millionaire could make to prepare for a black swan event. After all, laser eye surgery, or Lasik, boasts a 96% success rate. That said, the elective procedure could have disastrous side effects. In 2018, a meteorologist named Jessica Starr committed suicide following her Lasik procedure. She suffered from complications like dry eyes and blurred visio...
Superbugs Are Emerging as the Next Big Threat
The Latest Superbug: Candida auris Candida auris is a fungus spreading across the United States. This "superbug" is drug-resistant, making it incredibly difficult to treat with common anti-fungal medications. Candida auris typically only afflicts those with compromised immune systems, so most of us don't need to worry. That said, Candida auris is just the latest of many superbugs that are emerging as threats to our livelihoods. In fact, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, in partnership with the UK, have committed $52 million to fight superbugs. Their contribution to medical research will support the development of antibiotics and vaccines that superbugs haven't yet grown resist...