The Sixth Extinction: Elizabeth Kolbert on How Humans Are Causing Largest Die-Off Since Dinosaur Age

[stuntcat]

Democracy Now VIDEO & article @ http://www.democracynow.org/2014/2/11/the_sixth_extinction_elizabeth_kolbert_on

In the history of the planet, there have been five known mass extinction events. The last came 65 million years ago, when an asteroid about half the size of Manhattan collided with the Earth, wiping out the dinosaurs and bringing the Cretaceous period to an end. Scientists say we are now experiencing the sixth extinction, with up to 50 percent of all living species in danger of disappearing by the end of the century. But unlike previous extinctions, the direct cause this time is us — human-driven climate change. In "The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History," journalist Elizabeth Kolbert visits four continents to document the massive "die-offs" that came millions of years ago and those now unfolding before our eyes. Kolbert explores how human activity — fossil fuel consumption, ocean acidification, pollution, deforestation, forced migration — threatens life forms of all kinds. "It is estimated that one-third of all reef-building corals, a third of all fresh-water mollusks, a third of sharks and rays, a quarter of all mammals, a fifth of all reptiles, and a sixth of all birds are headed toward oblivion," Kolbert writes. "The losses are occurring all over: in the South Pacific and in the North Atlantic, in the Arctic and the Sahel, in lakes and on islands, on mountaintops and in valleys."

[unblock]

1. yeah but we've got more billionaires than ever so it's all worth it, right?

[Downwinder]

2. It's a death wish.

They are looking forward to being raptured.

[sinkingfeeling]

3. She was on 'The Corbert Report' last night. I think if I read that book, I'll

sink into deep depression.

[kristopher]

5. Wasn't it The Daily Show?

http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/tue-february-11-2014-elizabeth-kolbert

[GliderGuider]

4. "A quarter of all mammals..." Wait, what?

H. sapiens is what again?

[NickB79]

6. Don't worry, we're safe

The Matrix explains why:

[defacto7]

7. But Jesus is coming...

it doesn't matter! The bible says to subdue the earth. We're doing a great job of subduing it aren't we?





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[stuntcat]

8. also- Coral off W. Australia suffers shocking damage from marine heatwaves, scientists say.

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/feb/13/coral-western-australia-damage-marine-heatwaves

Study reveals that remote reef with coral hundreds of years old has undergone severe bleaching and ‘decimation’

Marine heatwaves have wreaked “almost unprecedented” damage to ancient coral off Western Australia’s Pilbara coast, scientists say.

Preliminary results from a five-year year study of the coastline revealed that a remote section of reef south of Barrow Island has suffered severe “bleaching and decimation”, according to the CSIRO, which is running the study with the University of Western Australia.

An extreme “bleaching event” in 2011 was known to have caused significant damage to the reef. But the study found another marine heatwave, in the summer of 2012-13, also caused trauma to the reef, including to its massive, 400-year old porites corals.

The porites were thought to be particularly resistant to variations in climate extremes, and the cyclones which regularly hit in the area.

“To see them badly damaged, or completely dead, as a result of bleachings that happened over previous years, and likely the one in 2013, was surprising,” lead scientist Dr Russ Babcock said.

Coral scientists expressed shock at the findings.

“It’s almost unprecedented,” said University of Western Australia professor Malcolm McCullough. “These corals were living for hundreds of years. And they died in the summer of 2012-13.”