Haldane’s prediction, and Soddy’s hope, proved misguided. The point here is that we, exactly a century later, stand in an identical position with regards to various new emerging technologies, from artificial intelligence to synthetic biology, which could imperil our entire future. For example, it seems plausible that engineering deadly pathogens will only become cheaper and easier, but we do not know how long it will take before it becomes easy enough to pose a serious threat to everyone.
