Be careful what you wish for!

The human race as we know it is a mere stripplings compared to billion year old viruses..

The words from Queens song ,”is this the world we created” are quite fitting at this time .

Alien strains?  What about Thalidamide?  Rather than being glib about the situation, let’s see what transpires.  According to one news item, Covid-19 is a descendent of SARS.  True or false - who knows?  This latest virus is so new that scientists have predicted at least 18 months before a vaccine is likely to be available.

Yes it's true, they are in the coronavirus group. Viruses mutate, a bit like humans have over the last 200,000 years but viruses have been around for much longer and are good at it! Keep safe and stay at home. 

I’m definitely onboard with the redressing the balance thing👍🏻. The weather is a prime example-with all the rain we’ve had over the winter I expected a good amount of dry weather to follow-it’s happening now(personal experience). In my experience LT I’m with you in the balancing thing too. I’m not one for creators etc, I much prefer to think & believe we don’t know nor can rely on anything out there. If our species were to suffer a catastrophic loss of life I’d expect it would’ve been well before the advent of modern medicine. I reckon if we ever face extinction it’ll be from space in the form of neo’s(near earth objects).

I'm afraid you have totally lost me here LT, Thalidamide was a drug developed by 'us' and not a virus, you keep changing your viewpoint from your OP from Nature would one day address the balance by producing some form of catastrophe to ourselves doing it, which is it? Also what definition of alien are you using?

I'm not being glib, nobody is, but this virus just doesn't fit your OP theory at all, there has been worse before this.

Oh dear - here we go with the argumentive element.    Mankind is itself an evolution of Nature. We have simply developed out ability to invent beyond that of the animal kingdom.  I did not say this particular pandemic would erase the human race, but it isn’t difficult to imagine what is possible in the future.

The world population has been increasing immensely.  One day we will run out of space, and we are using technology to artificially maintain ourselves.  If Armageddon did happen, it would be the so-called civilised races that would be the first to go.  The simple living folks in what’s left of the jungles would be the most able to survive.

Human behaviour in this pandemic Systematic clearing of shelves beyond what is needed, and the need for amounts per person to be controlled, clearly indicates how selfishly people would react. If an even more lethal virus engulfed the population, it is people themselves who would finish what a virus had started.

We are in our mid-80’s and, fortunately, able to be independent, although our families ring us daily to check that we are OK,  But, if we haven’t been seen for a few days, it hasn’t gone unnoticed that not a single neighbour has knocked on our door to check on us.  I would like to think that this attitude is a local one, rather than a general one countrywide.  A bit different to the days when neighbours helped each other in good times or bad.

Mankind is the single, most destructive species on the planet.  We have been indiscriminately exploiting the resources of the planet, and discarding our unwanted waste on the land, in the rivers and in the oceans.  Some of our rivers have been cleaned up, but this is only a small oasis for wildlife in a desert of detritus.  Ultimately, a price will be paid for this.

Anyone’s opinions about the future are purely surmise.  I hope that my negative thoughts are wrong, but certain behaviours by society do tend to make you look on the gloomy side.

That's sad you've had no contact from the locals to ask how you are LeTouriste, it's enough to make you feel downhearted and a bit gloomy. Is there not a local community contact where you can let them know you would like to ask for help if needed? It's good to be managing on your own but no doubt a friendly local contact is also beneficial. Take care. 

So, we're all doomed?! That's made day six of my isolation all the more exciting

JK

There is in fact only one thing that could save our planet, and it’s an unpalatable one. Simply, the whole of mankind gets wiped out, with our overbreeding, our capacity to pillage Earth’s natural resources, our lack of empathy for other living species, our too too clever adaptability and intelligence to fend off pandemics. 

Then it can all be done again. Slime, one cell creatures, insects, diversification into birds, mammals, fish. 

Mother Nature is giving us a very harsh warning at the moment. It’s the most overcrowded places that are going down first. (India is just going to be so bad...😥)

Personally, I would leave out religion of all kinds next time round. And I might just let a matriarchal society dominate more...........

😉