Earth's sixth mass extinction has begun, study confirms

We are currently witnessing the start of a mass extinction event the likes of which have not been seen on Earth for at least 65 million years. This is the alarming finding of a new study published in the journal Science Advances.

I've had a nagging feeling the last couple of years that something big was coming, something that couldn't be avoided. Maybe this is what I, and many others, have been sensing?

This latest research tells us what we already knew. Humans have in the space of a few centuries swung a wrecking ball through the Earth’s biosphere. Liquidating biodiversity to produce products and services has an end point. Science is starting to sketch out what that end point could look like but it cannot tell us why to stop before we reach it.

If this is true then we only have ourselves to blame. We are more focused on self-gain and profit than making life better for the generations that come after us. Greed is the culprit, we are destroying Mother Earth in order to benefit ourselves in the short term. You can't take money with you when you die.

More at the link HERE.

a reply to: 3NL1GHT3N3D1

Scientists have been saying we've likely entered this phase for about 15-20 years now. I figured it was a given based on the trends, figured we entered it sometime last decade. It's cute to think how sociable (group selfishness) we can be, yet this very drive might bring down civilization later in this century or early into next. I'm actually fairly meh about it in the long run, assuming we get another planet to give it another go in.

a reply to: 3NL1GHT3N3D1

I bet a Carbon Credit Financial Trading scheme will be proposed to fix this as well.

a reply to: 3NL1GHT3N3D1

As I have said many times, humans are the only species that does not quite fit into the "natural to planet earth" environment.

For instance, we create artificial structures to protect us from the planets natural climate and can get sunburned in an instant and die within a few minutes in cold temperatures - unless we cloth ourselves accordingly - something no other species needs to do.

We did not come from this planet - we were introduced to it - and we are doing a mighty job of destroying it.

Now, I must run, I've got to get to the mall because the TV told me there is a sale on - 50% off - bargain.

a reply to: Sublimecraft

I think that simply shows how adaptable and ingenious we are. We're also the only species to be on all continents.

a reply to: infolurker

Carbon Credits won't save anything - that's just opportunists trying to make a buck off a very real crisis. Nothing short of a full stop of exponential industrial/population growth could possibly "save" us - but that would have immediate dire consequences, which may spell the end of us, anyway, and even then, that action may only slow our eventual demise.

This hits home for me. My hometown is being recognised as the America's Amazon as it is the Mobile-Tensaw river delta containing the most species than anywhere in the US. It is also the home of the highest species extinction rate in the US, because of such poor environmental concern by the state bureaucacy.

Net changes in biodiversity between 1500-2000 BC, there abouts.

Since we have passed the brink and there is nothing we can do about it, can we stop with all the AGW debate now?

a reply to: Sublimecraft

You may be right.

Wouldn't it be fascinating if we were some genetic experiment gone bad? Aliens show up to Earth with the intent of making a self-aware and sentient race so they genetically modify chimpanzees and out come us. If we pass the test we are introduced to galactic society, if not we are left here. Seems as though we are failing the test as of the moment. Maybe that's why they haven't come back for us.

This is all speculation of course, but still interesting.

a reply to: 3NL1GHT3N3D1

These scientists are finally recognizing what some here at ATS have known for several years now. You can learn how and why this extinction event is upon is Here and this is the real deal folks. More and more "Science" will be proving what I've been saying all along. Governments will slowly start to act but I pray it's not too late when they finally do.

a reply to: Sublimecraft

Just about every mammal can get sunburned (depending on fur density) - birds are protected by their feathers, and reptiles by scales. Any species can (and does) die of hypothermia. Also, there are countless animals that create artificial structures for protection from the elements, only difference is in the complexity.

a reply to: Sublimecraft

TextAs I have said many times, humans are the only species that does not quite fit into the "natural to planet earth" environment. For instance, we create artificial structures to protect us from the planets natural climate

I can name 20 other species that build habitats to protect them from the elements, they must be aliens aswell.

can get sunburned in an instant and die within a few minutes in cold temperatures

So do animals!

We did not come from this planet - we were introduced to it - and we are doing a mighty job of destroying it.

Wow, just wow. No we migrated to our location.

Mass extinctions have happened over the course of history, they seem to be part of the progression of life on this planet.

And here we are worried that we are a part of it.

Apart from the obvious anthropomorphic stance behind all this, there is a really clear part of the data that is missing to make the equation a truth.

Can you guess what it is?

Clue 1: We have all the available evidence from the fossil records to show previous mass extinctions.
Clue 2: We have all the available evidence from present biology and natural sciences to show we are in a mass extinction...erm...hold on, aren't we discovering many hundreds of species a year? Aren't the oceans considered to be an undiscovered country?
So our perspective is flawed, we have no idea about our own reality, how can we come to conclusions without all the evidence?

a reply to: Syyth007

Groundhogs dig holes, bears live in caves, birds create nests, beavers build dams, etc.

I don't think this discredits the idea of genetic modification though. We are from this planet, we just weren't part of the natural order, we were created. Not saying this is the case, but I think it's an interesting possibility.

a reply to: Boomorangatangarang

Or perhaps the were meant to go extinct and we are interrupting nature's plan...

a reply to: muSSang

I had no idea other species mastered metallurgy to create steel, glass, plastic ARTIFICIAL structures.

Artificial does not include sticks and things NATURAL to the environment.

Comprehende'

ETA...@Syyth007, and my friend above

Our NATURAL skin does not protect us from the natural elements we choose to exist in - other species NATURAL skin protects them from the natural elements that those species exist in. Killer whales do not suffer from hypothermia, lizards do not get sunburned etc etc

We create clothing to suit those environments so we survive and stay protected.

Birds don't need denim jackets

a reply to: Jonjonj

The study found that human interaction with the environment is speeding the extinction level event up. There would have been an extinction event at some point, that's the natural order of things, but if we weren't contributing to it it wouldn't get here as soon. This extinction event would not be a natural one but a man-made one, or at least one where humans had a part in speeding it up.

I think a study finding an extinction event coming soon is pretty big news personally, no matter what the cause is.

originally posted by: Jonjonj

Clue 1: We have all the available evidence from the fossil records to show previous mass extinctions.

True.

Clue 2: We have all the available evidence from present biology and natural sciences to show we are in a mass extinction...erm...hold on, aren't we discovering many hundreds of species a year? Aren't the oceans considered to be an undiscovered country?
So our perspective is flawed, we have no idea about our own reality, how can we come to conclusions without all the evidence?

You may have difficulties holding all of these in mind, but rest assured scientists are considering much more at the same time, and see no errors in their calculations.

I can show how you are in err rather easily.

There are 1000 species. 100 are cataloged on land out of the 500, and 50 are cataloged in the ocean out of the remaining 500.

In this situation, losing 3 or 4 of the known a year instead of 1 every decade would be an increase. This would happen independently of us going into the ocean and cataloging new species. See? They aren't mutually exclusive as you seem to want to make it out to be.

a reply to: 3NL1GHT3N3D1

We are so arrogant that we believe we control all things...we can destroy an entire species and ourselves within a 150 year span.

Nature will always win. We cannot puff our chests and take control.

Again, maybe we are to play whatever role we were put here for. Even maggots have a good purpose. It is US that believe they don't.

a reply to: 3NL1GHT3N3D1

You say human intervention is speeding up the event and my question is this: With what data can we compare this, and even if we could compare, which we can't, who is to say that that is not in fact the natural order?
I am a nature lover in its truest sense, I love all things, I do not however distinguish humanity from nature, which is what you seem to be doing.