Executive summary
As geopolitical tensions escalate and climate disasters reach unprecedented levels, a new generation of survival technologies is emerging to help humanity weather civilisation’s potential collapse. From atmospheric water generators that create 100 gallons of drinking water daily from thin air to apocalypse-proof programming languages designed for scavenged hardware, these innovations represent our species’ most ingenious attempts to future-proof survival.
- In 2024, 824,500 people were forced to flee their homes due to weather-related disasters, according to WMO.
- WaterCube is a device that can extract moisture from the air and convert it into pure drinking water.
- FarmPod is a vertical aquaponic system that can produce twice as much food as traditional farming methods while consuming 90% less water.
- The global disaster preparedness systems market will grow from US$190 billion in 2024 to US$426 billion by 2034, according to a Coherent Market Insights report.
- “People are uneasy, and they want a safe place to put their family. And they have this attitude that it’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it,” says Ron Hubbard, the CEO of Atlas Survival Shelters.
Yet these technologies raise profound ethical questions about survival inequality. While billionaires construct US$300 million luxury bunkers, working and middle-class families face impossible choices between present prosperity and future survival. The challenge isn’t just developing these technologies – it’s ensuring they don’t become exclusive lifeboats for the wealthy while the rest of humanity is stranded.
The oldest trees on Earth date back 5,000 years, having lived through the rise and fall of empires, plagues, and countless near-misses with extinction. They’ve stood as silent witnesses to humanity’s remarkable ability to survive – and our equally remarkable ability to court disaster. As we all know very well, we’re no strangers to close calls. In 1908, the Tunguska Event flattened 800 square miles of Siberian forest with the force of 10-15 megatons of TNT. Had it struck London or New York instead of empty wilderness, millions would have perished. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, we teetered on the brink of nuclear annihilation for 13 days. More recently, COVID-19 exposed how a novel pathogen could bring global civilisation to its knees within weeks.
Today, that feeling of being on a knife’s edge has returned, but the threats have multiplied. UCLA climatologist Daniel Swain warns that 2025 will be “turbulent across the globe”, as political will to tackle existential threats collapses just when we need it most. The statistics paint a sobering picture of our vulnerability. According to the World Meteorological Organization, 2024 produced the highest number of weather-related displacements in 16 years, with 824,500 people forced from their homes.
This trend is likely to continue in the future as well, as global climate predictions show that temperatures are expected to remain at or near record levels for the coming five years, with an 80% chance that at least one year between 2025 and 2029 will be warmer than 2024’s record-breaking temperatures. Meanwhile, a Nature Food study reveals that nuclear war could trigger global famine, killing 6.7 billion people – not from radiation, but from the collapse of food systems. These aren’t distant possibilities but present dangers driving a boom in survival technology that’s reshaping how we think about resilience, community, and survival.
Water from thin air
Atmospheric water generation technology offers a steady water supply by tapping into the sky’s vast reserves.
Water is essential for human survival, yet it remains one of the Earth’s scarcest resources. Even though our atmosphere contains 38 million billion gallons of water (in the form of water vapour), extracting it and turning it into something you can actually drink has remained frustratingly difficult – until now. At the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show, Genesis Systems unveiled the WaterCube, a device the size of an air conditioning unit that produces up to 100 gallons of water daily from thin air, enough to satisfy the needs of a typical family of four. The device works even in dry environments, though production rates depend on local humidity levels.
“Our first mission is to sustainably solve global water scarcity,” says Genesis Systems founder David Stuckenberg. “Once you have this plugged into your house…you can turn yourself off from the city water.” The technology’s independence from traditional water infrastructure makes it invaluable for post-collapse scenarios. Unlike wells that can be contaminated or municipal systems that require extensive maintenance, atmospheric water generators create a self-contained water supply that functions as long as electricity is available – making them ideal partners for off-grid solar systems. This combination of technologies creates a foundation for long-term survival that doesn’t depend on external infrastructure or supply chains.
But water extraction is only half the equation. Researchers at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) have developed “sea urchin-shaped” nanomaterials that simultaneously purify water and recover valuable phosphorus. The system can extract 1.1 kilograms of phosphate per kilogram of material in just five minutes – world-class performance that turns waste into a resource. Dr Jae-Woo Choi, who led the KIST research, emphasises the dual benefit: “This research is significant because it integrates the two processes of phosphorus removal and microbial sterilisation into one, which enables us to present a low-energy water treatment solution that can be applied to various water quality environments.” Perhaps most remarkably, the system operates without electricity. By utilising magnetic fields from external magnets, the technology reduces energy consumption by more than 99% compared to conventional water treatment methods.
These advances address one of atmospheric water generation’s key limitations: ensuring water quality without complex filtration systems that require regular maintenance and replacement parts. By combining water extraction with purification in energy-efficient systems, these technologies create genuinely self-sufficient water supplies that could function for extended periods without external support. The implications for post-disaster survival are profound – clean water represents the most fundamental requirement for human survival, and atmospheric water generation technology offers the possibility of unlimited supplies even when traditional sources fail catastrophically.
When the lights go out
Next-generation solar panels and rare-earth-free cells bring energy independence for the masses.
While electricity may not be essential for survival (some of our ancestors went by just fine without it), it does make life easier and more convenient. But how do you ensure a consistent power supply during an apocalypse? As it turns out, off-grid solar technology may represent the most viable path to energy sovereignty when centralised power systems fail. The good news is that recent innovations are making solar technology more resilient and accessible than ever before. Researchers at the University of Sheffield have developed flexible solar cells using perovskite semiconductors, completely avoiding rare earth metals. These cells are manufactured by embossing microgrooves onto plastic film, then filling them with perovskite material to create back-contact solar cells.
In addition to eliminating the need for scarce and expensive elements, the new panels offer several other advantages over their conventional counterparts. “A key advantage of these flexible films is that the panel can be stuck onto any surface,” explains David Lidzey, a professor at the University of Sheffield. “In the UK, you currently have to think twice about adding thick solar panels onto relatively fragile roofs of warehouses that are not really designed to be load-bearing. With this lightweight solar technology, you could essentially stick it anywhere.”
In disaster scenarios, these flexible panels could rapidly restore power to damaged buildings without requiring structural roof reinforcements – critical when traditional infrastructure fails. Energy independence would fundamentally alter survival calculations. A family with sufficient solar generation and battery storage can maintain refrigeration, communication, water pumping, and climate control indefinitely. Combined with water generation and food production technologies, solar power completes the trilogy of basic needs that enable long-term resilience. The question suddenly becomes not whether survival is possible but what quality of life can be maintained.
Growing food in the wasteland
Soil-free agriculture technologies promise food security even when traditional farming becomes impossible.
When global supply chains crumble and traditional agriculture fails under climate stress, vertical farming and aquaponics offer a pathway to food security that functions independently of soil quality, weather patterns, or transportation networks. These technologies represent a fundamental reimagining of agriculture – one designed for enclosed spaces, minimal resources, and maximum efficiency. FarmPod exemplifies this agricultural revolution. This vertical aquaponic system produces commercial quantities of food using just one parking space’s worth of floor area while consuming 90% less water than traditional farming methods. The system creates a natural cycle between fish and plants: fish waste provides nutrients for plant growth, while plants filter and clean water for the fish. The entire operation is self-contained, automated, and designed to function off-grid with solar power.
The technology’s efficiency metrics are staggering. FarmPod grows twice as much food in a quarter of the space compared to traditional agriculture while producing mercury-free, hormone-free, antibiotic-free fish alongside fresh vegetables. The system incorporates biological redundancy and full automation, requiring minimal human intervention – simply fill the fish feeder, choose your plants, and harvest the food later. For post-collapse scenarios, this could prove crucial as it reduces the need for specialised knowledge typically required for food production while maximising output from minimal inputs.
However, vertical farming technology faces significant challenges in societal collapse scenarios. The systems require sophisticated monitoring equipment, replacement parts for pumps and filters, and specialised knowledge for troubleshooting problems. While automation reduces day-to-day maintenance requirements, technical failures could be catastrophic when repair services and replacement components are unavailable. Despite these limitations, soil-free agriculture represents humanity’s best hope for maintaining food security during extended infrastructure collapse. By creating food production systems that function independently of weather, soil quality, and supply chains, these technologies offer a path toward survival that doesn’t depend on the complex agricultural networks that have fed human civilisation for millennia.
The code that runs when nothing else will
When modern computers fail, ancient programming languages and purpose-built operating systems may be our only link to technological civilisation.
When Canadian programmer Virgil Dupras contemplates the collapse of civilisation, he doesn’t imagine Mad Max-style chaos. Instead, he envisions something more insidious: a slow technological blackout as our impossibly complex digital infrastructure gradually fails without the global supply chains needed to maintain it. “Routers die. Servers take their last breath. Phones crap out. Nothing works”, Dupras explains. To prepare for this digital apocalypse, Dupras has developed Collapse OS, an operating system designed specifically for the end of the world.
The foundation of Collapse OS is Forth, a programming language developed in the late 1950s by computer scientist Chuck H. Moore, which communicates directly with hardware through simple commands called Words that users can define on the fly. Where modern operating systems require gigabytes of RAM, Collapse OS only needs a few kilobytes. Lightweight and capable of running on scavenged hardware, it could preserve humanity’s ability to program 8-bit microcontrollers – the tiny computers that control radios, solar panels, and other essential systems. In post-collapse scenarios, being able to reprogram these devices with minimal resources could prove essential for automating greenhouses, controlling communication systems, and regulating power distribution.
Dupras spent two years completing Collapse OS, but recognised that preserving computing ability wouldn’t be sufficient for rebuilding society. In 2022, he began developing Dusk OS – a version compatible with modern devices that can retrieve and edit common file formats, access text archives, and run on smartwatches and old tablets. Using Forth, Dupras built his own compiler that made Dusk OS compatible with the C programming language, enabling access to existing software without rewriting everything from scratch. Dupras envisions Dusk OS functioning as a digital seed vault – preserving essential knowledge for post-collapse reconstruction. However, very few people will possess both copies of these systems and the expertise to operate them effectively.
The new architecture of survival
As civilisation faces existential threats, the ultra-wealthy are constructing elaborate underground sanctuaries that redefine what it means to take cover.
Driven by rising threats of nuclear or terrorist attacks and civil unrest, the underground shelter industry has experienced unprecedented growth in recent years, with companies like Atlas Survival Shelters now reporting backlogs of six months or more. But these aren’t the crude fallout shelters of the Cold War era – modern bunkers are sophisticated feats of engineering that seamlessly integrate with existing properties, featuring climate control, filtered air systems, EMP shielding, and even home theatre setups. Atlas Survival Shelters manufactures modular designs shipped in sections and welded together underground like “giant LEGO blocks of survival.” These systems slip beneath new homes, driveways, and outbuildings, remaining completely hidden while providing comprehensive protection from nuclear fallout and natural disasters.
A company named Safe (Strategically Armoured & Fortified Environments) has taken the concept one step further by revealing the US$300 million Aerie project – a network of subterranean sanctuaries featuring AI-powered medical suites, biometric authentication, and robotic staff. Aerie features residences ranging from 2,000-square-foot suites to 20,000-square-foot underground penthouses that will be available for purchase for up to US$20 million each. “Imagine a massive solar flare annihilating the global grid, plunging the world into chaos,” says Al Corbi, Safe’s founder, when asked to describe the purpose of his company’s creation. “Within hours, supply chains collapse, society unravels, and civil unrest erupts. This isn’t fiction – it’s a likely reality.”
The facilities include hyperbaric chambers, ice plunge rooms, IV therapy suites, and robotic massage systems – all designed to maintain physical and mental health during extended underground residence. Interactive walls and special lighting create the illusion of being above ground, while SCIF-compliant environments ensure complete privacy and security. The modular approach enables rapid deployment and customisation. Rather than building from scratch, these systems arrive prefabricated and install quickly with minimal neighbourhood disruption. Clients can specify everything from gun safes to wine cellars to secret escape tunnels, creating bespoke survival environments that could sustain life for months or even years.
“People are uneasy, and they want a safe place to put their family. And they have this attitude that it’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.”
Ron Hubbard, chief executive of Atlas Survival Shelter
The inequality paradox
Who gets to survive the end of the world?
The proliferation of survival technology has created a stark paradox: those most vulnerable to civilisational collapse are also least able to afford protection from it. While billionaires construct elaborate underground estates, middle-class families face prohibitive costs for basic preparedness measures. For example, a basic model of a bomb shelter bunker costs over US$150,000, requiring someone with US$5,000-10,000 annual disposable income to dedicate their entire working life to the purchase. Meanwhile, off-grid solar systems range from US$40,000-80,000, placing energy independence beyond most families’ reach.
Douglas Rushkoff, in his analysis of billionaire bunker culture, argues that these ultra-wealthy individuals have “succumbed to the fallacy that they can earn enough money to insulate themselves from the reality they were creating by earning money in this way.” He terms this the ‘insulation equation’ – the belief that wealth can provide complete protection from systemic collapse. The psychological impact further compounds the inequality. As Chris Turpin, chief executive officer of the Be Prepared Expo, notes: “Preparedness helps you from eating your neighbour.” But when only the wealthy can afford the optics of preparedness, social tensions may actually increase during crisis scenarios.
Critics contend that a focus on individual survival preparation detracts from collective resilience-building and prevention efforts. The resources devoted to private bunkers might better serve community-wide disaster preparedness, early warning systems, and infrastructure hardening that benefits everyone. Yet the market continues expanding, with the global disaster preparedness systems market predicted to grow from US$190 billion in 2024 to US$426 billion by 2034, according to the latest research from Coherent Market Insights. Atlas Survival Shelters’ chief executive officer, Ron Hubbard, explains this trend as such: “People are uneasy, and they want a safe place to put their family. And they have this attitude that it’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.”
Learnings
The technologies emerging to help humanity survive civilisation’s potential collapse represent both our species’ greatest ingenuity and our most troubling inequalities. From atmospheric water generators that create drinking water from thin air to apocalypse-proof programming languages designed for scavenged hardware, these innovations demonstrate remarkable human creativity in the face of existential threats. Yet their development occurs within a context of profound inequality that raises uncomfortable questions about who deserves to survive and whether survival technology might actually accelerate social collapse rather than prevent it.
The fundamental challenge isn’t technical – we possess the knowledge to create self-sufficient systems for energy, water, food, and shelter that could sustain communities through extended infrastructure failures. The challenge is ensuring these technologies serve humanity’s collective survival rather than simply creating more sophisticated lifeboats for the wealthy. As we stand on the precipice of potential civilizational collapse, the choices we make about survival technology development and distribution may determine not just who survives but what kind of species emerges from the ashes of our current world.
