The end is near. There have been signs and prophecies for centuries but it does feel like man's time on this planet is almost over. The question is: are you ready for Doomsday? End time (also called end times, end of time, end of days, last days, final days, or eschaton) is a time period described in the eschatologies of the dominant world religions, both Abrahamic and non-Abrahamic. The Abrahamic faiths maintain a linear cosmology, with end time scenarios containing themes of transformation and redemption. In Judaism, the term "end of days" is a reference to the Messianic Age, and includes an in-gathering of the exiled diaspora, the coming of the mashiach, olam haba, and resurrection of the Tsadikim. In Christianity, end time is depicted as a time of tribulation that precedes the second coming of Christ, who will face the emergence of the Antichrist and usher in the Kingdom of God. In Islam, the Yawm al-Qiyāmah or Yawm ad-Din, the Day of Judgement, is preceded by the appearance of the Mahdi atop a white stallion. With the help of Isa, Mahdi will then triumph over Masih ad-Dajjal. The non-Abrahamic faiths have more cyclical eschatologies regarding end time, characterized by decay, redemption and rebirth. In Hinduism, end time is foretold as when Kalki, the final incarnation of Vishnu, descends atop a white horse and bring an end to the current Kali Yuga. In Buddhism, the Buddha predicted that his teachings would be forgotten after 5,000 years, followed by turmoil. A bodhisattva named Maitreya will appear and rediscover the teaching of dharma. The ultimate destruction of the world will then come through seven suns. Since the discovery of deep time and the age of the Earth, scientific discourse about end time has centered around the ultimate fate of the universe. Theories have included the Big Rip, Big Crunch, Big Bounce, and Big Freeze. Various types of events pose a risk to destroy or cripple human civilization; could cause human extinction; or even cause the end of Earth. Severe events could cause the extinction of all life on the planet Earth, the destruction of the planet Earth, the annihilation of the Solar system, to the annihilation of our galaxy or even the entire universe. Some risks threaten only temporary damage and might eventually be recovered from, perhaps by a successor civilization, while more severe existential risks pose a threat to the continued existence of humanity. Natural disasters, such as supervolcanoes and asteroids, pose risks if sufficiently powerful. Human-caused, or "anthropogenic", events could also threaten the survival of intelligent life on Earth. These anthropogenic events could include catastrophic global warming, nuclear war, or bioterrorism. The Future of Humanity Institute believes that existential risks are more likely to result from anthropogenic causes than natural causes. Despite the importance of existential risks, it is a difficult subject to study directly since humanity has never been destroyed before; while this does not mean that it will not be in the future, it does make modelling existential risks difficult, due in part to survivorship bias.

• published: 27 Oct 2013
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