March 20th, 1602 AD and its consequences were a disaster for mankind. What showed up that day is an existential threat, and if we let it keep on the way it's been keeping on, it'll wipe out our species and any other it can touch. That was the day that the first publicly traded company started promising shares anyone could buy, and started up the first stock exchange. The first real, active, living joint-stock company with constant trade.