The List: The Dogs That Didn't Bark

Posted By Michael H. Cognato Monday, April 9, 2007 - 2:24 PM Share

There are ominous signs that the Earth's weather patterns have begun to change dramatically and that these changes may portend a drastic decline in food production – with serious political implications for just about every nation on Earth. The drop in food output could begin quite soon, perhaps only 10 years from now.

Another ominous warning about one of the many evils to befall mankind thanks to global warming? Not quite. The quote comes from a now-famous 1975 Newsweek article warning about the dangers of a cooling world. Oops.

This was neither the first nor the last example of out of control predictions that failed to materialize. Sure, global warming is probably already happening, and sure, China is probably going to assume a super-sized role in the world in the future. But the experts have been wrong before. This week's List takes a look at just how wrong they've been, from visions of an icy globe to fantasies about nearly free nuclear energy. Just a reminder that, when talking about the future, humility is always in order.

EXPLORE:DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMICS, GLOBAL WARMING, TERRORISM

Passport, FP’s flagship blog, brings you news and hidden angles on the biggest stories of the day, as well as insights and under-the-radar gems from around the world.