When Sci-Fi Robots Decide to Destroy Mankind

A common staple of dystopian Sci-Fi films, books and Art...

Robots and computers become self aware and then decide the world would be a better place without us.

The next step is to start a nuclear war.

If you have ever wondered what damage your city would sustain if hit by a nuke, then have I got a treat for you.

I present... "Ground Zero"

This fantastic little mash up between Google maps and some programming by Carlos-labs will provide hours of fun.

Pick a city, chose your weapon of choice and then click "Nuke It !"

Have a play...
For extra fun, you can see what would happen if the gods got tired of us arguing over who had the better "imaginary friend", and nudged a dinosaur destroying asteroid our way.

If it makes your hair stand up when you see how much damage a single nuke will make, keep in mind that these days the shotgun approach would be used - multiple smaller warheads over an area instead of just one big one. Oh, and this also only shows the 'blast' not the radiation.

One saving grace is that a nuke going off high up in the atmosphere will cause an Electro-magnetic pulse that would burn out most electrical equipment, so we may be spared from the robot inspired nuclear holocaust after all.

In that case we might meet our doom via something much smaller - Nano technology based robots and other lifeforms like the wasp and mozzie. Another favourite topic of science fiction. If you have seen the Replicators on Stargate SG1, you will get the idea.

And as always, these usually eventually evolve into a form that we can't tell apart from human.

I suggest you read the short story by Philip K Dick, titled Second Variety or watch the movie it inspired, Screamers- which was a very underappreciated work of art in my opinion starring Peter Weller (who you may know from Robocop).

All I can say is we better start being nice to the robots and computers or things wont turn out in a good way.

Next time that Automatic Teller Machine swallows your credit card, probably resist giving it a kick.

...and if you don’t want to become toast, be nice to the toaster too.

[Nuke it! application via Carlos Labs]

Comments (1)

Reply

1 Saturday, 21 March 2009 15:54

Kris

Im a town planner Marty. Playing this game is actually quite perverse. And I LIKE IT!

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