A Cambridge scientist named Luke Kemp believes there’s a serious chance the world could collapse by 2050, and he says the likelihood grows by about 20% every decade. Kemp studies how past civilizations have collapsed and what might lead to the downfall of our modern world.
He spoke about this on The Great Simplification podcast and also wrote a book, Goliath’s Curse: The History and Future of Societal Collapse. In his research, he argues that most civilizations in history have destroyed themselves from within, through what he calls “self-terminating.”
This happens when the people in power extract too much wealth and resources, leaving the majority struggling. Societies then become weak and unstable, suffering from corruption, poor health, inequality, environmental damage, and bad leadership by a small, wealthy elite. Eventually, this fragile system is broken apart by big shocks like war, disease, or climate disasters.
One modern threat Kemp points to is a massive solar storm, similar to the Carrington Event in 1859, which caused huge electromagnetic disturbances. If something like that happened today, it could destroy satellites, knock out power grids, shut down banking systems, crash the internet, and stop much of modern life from functioning.
He estimates that the chance of such an event is about 50% by 2050 if trends continue.
Kemp also highlights how the wealthy are preparing for potential disaster by building luxury underground bunkers, complete with pools, gardens, hydroponic farms, and even private security teams, while the rest of the world remains unprepared.
