A Guide to the End of the World

The big problem with predicting the end of the world is that, if proved right, there can be no basking in glory. This has not, however, dissuaded armies of Cassandras from predicting the demise of our planet or the human race, only to expire themselves without the opportunity to proclaim 'I told you so'. To somewhat adapt the words of the great Mark Twain, the death of our race has been greatly exaggerated.
The big question is, however, how long will this continue to be the case?
In answer, it would be perfectly reasonable to say that of course the world is going to end-in about five billion years time when our Sun finally runs out of fuel and wells to become a bloated red giant that burns the Earth to a cinder.
A fervent eschatologist, however, would undoubtedly contest this, launching into an enthusiastic account of the many alternative and imaginative ways in which our world and our race might meet its end, of which disease, warfare, natural catastrophe, and exotic physics experiments gone wrong are
but a selection.