+ Advances in nanotechnology leading to radically enhanced intelligences, environmental degradation and social disruption

+ Helpful breakthroughs in biotechnology being mismanaged, leading to the production of biological weapons

+ Objects from outer space colliding with Earth, causing horrendous damage on a continental or global scale

+ Cosmic expansion, entropy and the subsequent darkness that may envelop our universe over trillions of years

At TED in 2005, Bostrom outlined some of humanity’s biggest problems — including death (“most humans who have ever lived have died”) and total extinction — and pointed out that most of such risks are neglected in serious discussion. He recently published a paper in MIT’s Technology Review arguing that finding extraterrestrial life would not augur well for humanity.

(Announcement via Accelerating Future.)

Among the more than 160 essays from leading thinkers — scientists, philosophers, artists — look for Wired’s Chris Anderson, Nick Bostrom, Stewart Brand, Richard Dawkins, Aubrey de Grey, Juan Enriquez, Helen Fisher, Neil Gershenfeld, Daniel Gilbert, Daniel Goleman, Kevin Kelly, Steven Pinker, Carolyn Porco, Martin Rees, Michael Shermer and Craig Venter. Block out some time to sample these — it’s an addictive read.