Experts: In 10 Years' Time, Things on Earth Will Be Worse

Think things look dire now? It doesn't look like it's going to get better over the next decade, per the Atlantic Council, which surveys hundreds of experts annually to get their take on how planet Earth will be doing in the not-so-distant future. Their outlook this year: The world is going to be faring worse in 2035, according to the latest Global Foresight report, which cites worries over such things as an increasing number of nukes; various world conflicts; and "the chances of democratic depression" around the globe (spoiler alert—only a small minority think it's going to get better on that front). Some key findings from the more than 350 international experts surveyed, per Axios:

• WWIII? About two-fifths of respondents believe we'll be plunged into another world war within 10 years' time.

• Ominous alliance: About 47% of those surveyed expect a US-aligned bloc to be facing off in 2035 against an official one made up of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.
• Taiwan: Speaking of China, about two-thirds of respondents think it will try to seize Taiwan by force over the next decade.
• Nukes: And speaking of Iran, nearly 75% believe it will "join the nuclear-weapons club" by 2035—by which point about half of respondents believe a nuke will have been used somewhere in the world.
• Ukraine: Almost 47% of those surveyed believe the Russian invasion there will end on terms "largely favorable to Russia," with another 43% thinking it will remain a "frozen conflict." Only 4% believe things will wrap up in terms largely favorable to Ukraine. It's a stark shift from last year's Global Foresight report, which showed 54% of respondents believing Ukraine would be a member of the EU, and 44% saying it would be part of NATO, by 2034. Recent remarks from US President Trump and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have greatly lowered the odds for those events.
• Some good news: Respondents were surprisingly chipper about artificial intelligence, at least as it pertains to world affairs. Although most Americans dislike AI, the majority feel it "will, on balance, positively impact international affairs," per Axios. Men and those over 50 tended to hold a better outlook for AI than women and younger adults.

(More predictions stories.)