As far as historians are concerned, there were five major events throughout the existence of Earth where almost all the inhabitants go extinct. In this Pulitzer Prize-winning book, journalist Elizabeth Kolbert explores a possible upcoming sixth extinction event. While the first five were suspected to be caused by forces of nature, humans could very well be the main contributor of the sixth, whether it is intentional or not.
The author scours the world to gather facts of previous extinctions, studied tiny ammonites to huge mastodons, from less intelligent beings to our closest sentient ancestors. She researches the many periods of history and all these points to the fact where humans were present, extinction increased in exponential numbers.
Extinctions were due to many factors. For example, in the first chapter, the sudden disappearance of the golden frogs was due to fungus infection. In the beginning, it could have been limited to a single location but eventually, golden frogs began dying across the world. While the fungus is airborne, only humans through our antics of travel and logistics could have brought the fungus far and away enough to widen and hasten the propagation of the fungus.
Another example, we often hear and read about the obvious carbon dioxide generation through emissions. What we seldom hear is that oceans absorb the excess carbon dioxide and as a result, the acidic level increased. The more carbon dioxide in the air, the more were absorbed. Underwater species that do not thrive well with higher acidity will perish.
For the most part, the texts are quite layman and easily understood, thus positioning this book as suitable for most people. Most kids that find picture books or a good mystery novel interesting will find it boring but the book will fascinate curious teenagers and older.
Editor's note:
With a big brain and an overgrown pride, we might have overestimated ourselves thinking we will cause the next extinction. Similarly, we have underestimated the smallest possible microorganisms. The current COVID-19 outbreak does suggest that we are just as fragile as the extinct and endangered species mentioned in the book. The next extinction, maybe ours, could be caused by something much more minute such as a virus but I think (probably influenced by this book's first chapter) another possibility is something like a fungus where it is even more difficult to contain and destroy.
Another example, we often hear and read about the obvious carbon dioxide generation through emissions. What we seldom hear is that oceans absorb the excess carbon dioxide and as a result, the acidic level increased. The more carbon dioxide in the air, the more were absorbed. Underwater species that do not thrive well with higher acidity will perish.
For the most part, the texts are quite layman and easily understood, thus positioning this book as suitable for most people. Most kids that find picture books or a good mystery novel interesting will find it boring but the book will fascinate curious teenagers and older.
Editor's note:
With a big brain and an overgrown pride, we might have overestimated ourselves thinking we will cause the next extinction. Similarly, we have underestimated the smallest possible microorganisms. The current COVID-19 outbreak does suggest that we are just as fragile as the extinct and endangered species mentioned in the book. The next extinction, maybe ours, could be caused by something much more minute such as a virus but I think (probably influenced by this book's first chapter) another possibility is something like a fungus where it is even more difficult to contain and destroy.
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