[chiralSPO]

Yes there is far more radioactive metals (and other heavy metals) pollution from coal mining, and  radon release during oil and natural gas extraction.

[CliffordK]

I think there are several questions.
What will be the end of humanity?
What will be the end of all large animals on Earth?
What will be the end of all life on Earth?

Certainly the death of our sun will be traumatic for life on Earth, although assuming advanced spacefaring technology by then, there would be a mass exodus to the outer planets and moons, followed by an attempt to build close orbital platforms around the dying sun, which could potentially provide power for an extended period of time.  However, undoubtedly over the next few billion years, everything we know today will change.

I think you're right, even a large meltdown of a nuclear plant will have mostly local effects.  There could, however, be problems if dozens of nuclear accidents occur contaminating large swatches of land over time.  Still, it is not that life doesn't exist around Chernobyl.  It is just deemed not safe for humans.  Other animals are plentiful. 

Global Nuclear War is always a possibility of massive destruction, potentially killing most, if not all humanity, and many of the larger species.  However, I still hope the powers that control the nuclear arsenals start having a bit of sense.

Disease?  It is possible that one species would be wiped out, but unlikely to be the end of all life.  However, with 7 billion people, there is a very diverse gene pool.  Even with diseases like AIDS. there are a number of people who are naturally immune.  Perhaps one would have to be hit with multiple simultaneous very devistating plagues.  And, even so, it is possible that small pockets of humanity such as the Hawaiian Islands would be able to enforce a strict quarantine protocol, and ride out the storm.

An asteroid or large comet impact is a very real risk, but it would either have to be very large, or have multiple impacts over several days to cause global devastation.  However, over the next few billion years before our sun dies, one would expect Earth to be pummeled by several large asteroids or comets.

[diethyl]

As the expansion of the universe, the earth will also expand until it explode and there couldn't hold any life. Waaah, I'm not so lucky  to see this spectacle.

[Don_1]

As the expansion of the universe, the earth will also expand until it explode and there couldn't hold any life. Waaah, I'm not so lucky  to see this spectacle.

No.

Man may cause his own destruction and very likely take a whole lot of other species with him, but life on Earth will continue until the planet itself is destroyed by some cosmic catastrophe or the inevitable demise of the Sun.

[Alohascope]

The new theory Big Rip predicts Dark Energy will drive expansion of the universe to the point that atomic particles will fly apart .. sudden Big Rip in all matter .. end of everything.  Identical to the biblical view .. "elements shall be dissolved in fervent heat".

[Space Flow]

It's amazing. I just came across this old thread and was totally fascinated by the comments made to this innocent sounding question.

What will cause the end of life on planet Earth? Will it be the when the sun dies or something else?

The question in no way referred to humans or humanity, and yet nearly all of the replies were about humans and humanity.
As if that is all the word life means.
Just found it enlightening to see how so many interpreted the question.
That's all...

[chris]

I think it's fair to say, though, that humans are probably the best prospect for global destruction, one way or another. Until we came along, life here had survived armageddon more than once. We're doing an excellent job of ruining the place for everything and everyone and creating a huge human monoculture in the process...

[Space Flow]

I think it's fair to say, though, that humans are probably the best prospect for global destruction, one way or another. Until we came along, life here had survived armageddon more than once. We're doing an excellent job of ruining the place for everything and everyone and creating a huge human monoculture in the process...

Chris, what you say can not ube argued with if you only look at Human impact on life.
"Life" on the other hand is continually showing through the discovery of extremophiles, that it can survive in acid, in Space, inside a nuclear reactor according to one report, and almost anywhere we can think of looking for it.
In other words I can see nothing that Humans can do that will destroy all life.
I saw an article once that claimed that even if this planet was blown to smithereens life in some form would still exist on some of the pieces, waiting for the right conditions to go forth and multiply.

So as I stated I was amused at the Anthropic tilt to most of the answers given, when the question in no way referred to Humanity, or Human life. It only asked about "life".
This kind of response in a way shows that subconsciously at least we still think we are the centre of the Universe, even when we say that we don't.
Pity...

[richard-38]

There are a lot of bad genes in people because rape and pillage was a major part in our evolutionary history with the bad guys winning repeatedly. It's really quite remarkable that so many people are nice and civilised despite that. What we need to do is reprogram all the bad stuff out of our species so that we no longer have any abusive individuals spoiling it for the rest. Once that's done, we have billions of years ahead of us here where we are no longer a negative thing.

But ain't it hypocryte to call them bad genes, while we are from nature a hunter and well the history shows it all:mass murder has allways excisted, and if somebody believes different,in terms of religion, we were never hesitating to kill them..   But what do we do, we go live close together and make up, that you may not punish or kill someone which has made you cripple and we started writing a book, with rules, which easily can be changed, which is absurd and call it te law.  Only one judge could think different then another and first you got away with 6 months in prison, but the other judge gives you 4years in jail..  also depending on a good lawer offcourse.... which few peoples can afford.

Democratie is not our real nature.   We do everything that is bad for mankind....no relaxation, and a lot of stress, which can damage the brain if it is is constant stress.   But luckely there will be a virus or bacteria, which brings the amount of living peoples,to one in balance with the earth...

[Rodin1880]

Realistically, I don't know that it has to... As shown in the movie WaterWorld... eventually, the ice will be gone and our planet will be covered with water... Survivors will survive as best they can, and if they can survive long enough, may evolve into a creature that can better handle life on /in the sea... as the seas warm they will develop tolerances... and as the skies cloud, again they will evolve, and eventually, provided adequate breeding was able to take place throughout the WaterWorld, the parts evolved will atrophy as they become more like us on the next cycle of what we think of as earth