Replies

You have to wonder how well modern civilization would stand up to something like that today.

Depends on who you mean by "we." Western civilization would be damaged beyond repair, as we know it now, but it would certainly survive in some context. Military bases in isolated regions, nuclear subs and other such well stocked and well coordinated entitys would maintain their technological sophistication.

Think of a well provisioned nuclear aircraft carrier, with machine shops, etc., and assume that it survives the initial impact. Joe suburb might be in big trouble, but after he runs around for a few weeks in rags playing survivor imagine what happens when the USS Ronald Reagan pulls into port and declares martial law?

Now, the poor schmucks in Rio or Delhi or Athens are screwed. Ironically the folks in the hills outside Karachi or in the hinterlands of Nepal, assuming their terrain isn't imolated in the blast zone, should be fairly well off, as they're used to making do and "roughing it" in "primative" conditions.

Excellent analysis, imo. I was thinking along the same lines. We (America) would survive it in some form, but no doubt greatly weakened. A large proportion of the population would die of famine and disease. Indeed, the only survivors might be those favored few who are fortunate enough to be rationed food (that would have to be grown on government run farms, which in turn would need an assist from artifical lighting to grow their crops). This is why it would be necessary to maintain the infrastructure. For the rest of us, it would be the law of the jungle.

Our science and technology would not be lost, however, in contrast to ancient civilizations. Still, it would be an unacceptable setback.

Just shooting from the hip, of course . . . In actuality, I can't possibly know what would happen. But as I said above, I think a space shield of some sort will be worthy of consideration soon, particularly if conclusive proof of this comet theory of civilization is uncovered.