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Reducing the Risk of Human Extinction
Article first published online: 7 DEC 2007
DOI: 10.1111/j.1539-6924.2007.00960.x
Additional Information
How to Cite
Matheny, J. G. (2007), Reducing the Risk of Human Extinction. Risk Analysis, 27: 1335–1344. doi: 10.1111/j.1539-6924.2007.00960.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 7 DEC 2007
- Article first published online: 7 DEC 2007
- Abstract
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Keywords:
- Asteroids;
- catastrophic risk;
- cost-effectiveness analysis;
- discounting;
- existential risk;
- human extinction
In this century a number of events could extinguish humanity. The probability of these events may be very low, but the expected value of preventing them could be high, as it represents the value of all future human lives. We review the challenges to studying human extinction risks and, by way of example, estimate the cost effectiveness of preventing extinction-level asteroid impacts.