There's a difference between biological extinction and cultural extinction. Cultures are incredibly fragile, and the chances of developing current levels of science and technology again if we lost them aren't all that great.
As for runaway climate change - it's definitely a possibility. Current models don't try to estimate potential coupling between the effects of methane and CO2.
It doesn't seem to be considered likely. But a lot of scientists are already surprised by the speed and scale of climate change, and the fact that we're seeing effects in a decade or two that weren't expected until the end of the century.
Worries about runaway climate change may be pessimistic, but they're certainly not unscientific. Considering the stakes, more research would be wise.
Comments
There's a difference between biological extinction and cultural extinction. Cultures are incredibly fragile, and the chances of developing current levels of science and technology again if we lost them aren't all that great.
As for runaway climate change - it's definitely a possibility. Current models don't try to estimate potential coupling between the effects of methane and CO2.
It doesn't seem to be considered likely. But a lot of scientists are already surprised by the speed and scale of climate change, and the fact that we're seeing effects in a decade or two that weren't expected until the end of the century.
Worries about runaway climate change may be pessimistic, but they're certainly not unscientific. Considering the stakes, more research would be wise.