Seven Ultimate Challenges to Humanity in This Century

Abstract

Thanks to the science policy strategy of the old National Science Foundation (where I worked 1988-2015), I was given truly unique access to the far cutting edge of most of the Science & Technology disciplines which need to be connected much better in order to meet ‘Seven Ultimate Challenges to Humanity in this Century’. This paper summarizes the four (4) greatest “existential threats” -- threats of total species extinction -- facing humanity in the coming century. For balance, it defines three (3) equally important hopes -- grand opportunities which would allow us to overcome those threats and achieve a future better than what most people could imagine. These seven (7) points together comprise the Ultimate Challenges that need greater attention and awareness in order to be successfully met.