We face evil days, just as humans have almost from the dawn of time, especially as technology grows more pervasive and, many say, destructive. But what specific threats are the most apocalyptic?

50 Nobel Laureates share their worries, which are many. But there also is hope, they told Times Higher Education in a survey published Thursday.

Technology in several ways makes the list – from a real threat such as the rise of Artificial Intelligence, even Facebook.

Yet tech also is seen as a solution to producing renewable energy vs. carbon fuels and increasing crop production through advances in biotechnology.

“Despite a large and vocal minority, it seems that over the course of my lifetime the world has become increasingly aware of the role of science and technology in improving human welfare,” one unidentified laureate said.

“The slope remains positive.”

So what are the top threats? In order:

  1. Population/environmental degradation, 34 percent
  2. Nuclear war, 23 percent
  3. Pandemic/disease/drug resistance, 8 percent
  4. Selfishness/less humanistic attitudes, 8 percent
  5. Ignorance, 6 percent
  6. Fundamentalism/terrorism, 6 percent
  7. Ignorant leaders, 6 percent
  8. Artificial Intelligence, 4 percent
  9. Inequality, 4 percent
  10. Drugs, 2 percent
  11. Facebook, 2 percent

Read the full survey at:

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/features/do-great-minds-think-alike-the-the-lindau-nobel-laureates-survey#survey-answer