Only Australia will survive: a scientific forecast in case of the end of the world

The scientific journal Risk Analysis published a study, the authors of which tried to make a forecast in case of apocalyptic events: nuclear war, an eruption of a supervolcano or an asteroid impact. In their opinion, Australia has the best chance to survive and preserve human civilization, The Guardian reports. In any of the scenarios of the end of the world, a nuclear winter will come on Earth, because of which food production in Russia, the United States and China may decrease by up to 97%, the researchers write.

To survive, these countries will have to create new technologies for food production. However, "there will be groups of survivors all over the planet, even in the harshest scenario," the study says. The most stable in this sense are the island States of Australia, New Zealand, Iceland, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. They will be able to avoid collapse due to the fact that they will be able to produce enough food for their population even with a shortage of sunlight in a nuclear winter.

The authors compared 38 island countries on 13 factors that determine the success of survival in the event of an apocalypse: food production, energy self-sufficiency, the development of the manufacturing industry, the impact of the disaster on the climate, etc. As a result, the rating was led by Australia and New Zealand – countries with developed agriculture located far from the Northern Hemisphere, where nuclear precipitation is most likely.

Australia has shown the best results mainly due to its food potential, which, if necessary, will help feed not only the inhabitants of the country, but also many tens of millions of people abroad. Other advantages of Australia: a developed energy sector, excellent healthcare, a high defense budget. The only factor working against it is rather close military ties with the UK and the US, which increase the likelihood that in the event of a nuclear war, Australia will become one of the first targets.

According to the last point, the position of New Zealand, which has a nuclear-free status, seems more advantageous. This country has a high probability of survival in the event of a sharp drop in global temperature due to the absence of the sun: proximity to the ocean