CARTA - Humans: The Planet-Altering Apes - Sixth Mass Extinction the Tree of Life and the Future of Humanity with Gerardo Ceballos

We are losing species much more rapidly now than in the last two million years! At this pace, we may lose a large proportion of vertebrates, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fishes, in the next two to three decades. Modern extinctions caused by human activities are higher than the normal or natural extinction rate which tells us that we may be causing a mass extinction. In the history of life on Earth, there have been five mass extinctions – episodes where large numbers of species became extinct in a short period of time. All mass extinctions have been caused by natural catastrophes, such as the impact of a meteorite. We are the only species that has the capability to save all endangered animals. Paradoxically, saving them is the only way to save humanity. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Humanities] [Science] [Show ID: 37904]