Scientists: Sixth great extinction is underway
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
This probably isn't the best way to start a Monday, but we're going to be extinct soon.
A study by a group of scientists -- you know how they are -- says the sixth great extinction on earth is already underway.
Species are disappearing at 100 times the typical rate between mass extinctions.
Paul Ehrlich, the Bing Professor of Population Studies in biology and a senior fellow at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, says his estimates might be overly conservative, so it might be worse than he thinks.
Turn Up Your Support
MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.
But he says there's no doubt that we're entering the sixth extinction and he calls for fast action.
There are only three generations left before the lack of biodiversity -- no pollination and pure water -- begins to sweep over the planet.
Coincidentally, a separate study from Britain says society will collapse by 2040 because of food shortages.
Related: How climate-change doubters lost a papal fight (Washington Post)
