World War III and Nuclear Terrorism

Many Americans see a violent future ahead for both the world and the United States in the next 40 years. A majority of the public expects another world war (58% say it definitely or will probably happen) and a major terrorist attack on the U.S. with a nuclear weapon (53%) by the year 2050. While a majority of each age bracket predicts another world war, fully 68% of young adults (ages 18-29) do so, the highest of any age group. Conversely, older Americans are the most likely to predict a terrorist attack with nuclear weapons against the U.S. For both threats, Americans with a high school education or less are more likely than those with more education to predict a violent future. Americans are far less apocalyptic with regard to extraterrestrial threats. While majorities see devastating man-made violence in the future, just 31% believe an asteroid will hit the earth at some time during the next four decades. Read More