In the late-80s there were also well-publicized predictions that Jesus would return to earth. There's always some crackpot who gets it wrong that one can point to years later as a counter-example ("In the 70s, Time magazine predicted an ice age!"). But what was the general consensus? Without looking it up, I doubt the consensus was nearly that dire.
>("In the 70s, Time magazine predicted an ice age!")
I remember those articles and I kind of believed them until President Carter brought up global warming.
As many of us know now, those where based upon studies bought and paid for by the oil companies.