A "catastrophe weapon" refers to any tool, technology, or system capable of causing widespread, irreversible, and existential harm to the fabric of human civilization and the biosphere. These weapons, often involving advanced scientific principles and engineering, possess the potential to unleash destruction on a scale that transcends traditional conflict, threatening the very continuity of human life and ecological stability. They include, but are not limited to, nuclear arsenals, engineered pandemics, rogue artificial intelligence, and other high-impact threats, whose misuse could precipitate unparalleled disaster. In a complex and interconnected world, understanding and mitigating the risks posed by such weapons is imperative to ensuring the long-term survival and flourishing of our species and the planet we inhabit.

See also: nuclear weapon, mutually assured destruction, catastrophic risk, existential risk, existential threat