Global Extinction: How Long Do We Have Left?

In the last 500 million years, five mass extinctions, known as the Big Five, have nearly annihilated life on Earth. But according to the National Academy of Sciences, the Sixth Mass Extinction has already begun. It started in the middle of the 20th century, during a period called the Great Acceleration. From pollution to the rapid increase in carbon dioxide emissions, humans have severely impacted the Earth. Can we work against the tide of destruction? Sources: Mass Extinction Facts and Information https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/prehistoric-world/mass-extinction/#:~:text=Some%20252%20million%20years%20ago,species%20on%20land%20died%20out. The Permian Extinction—When Life Nearly Came to an End https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/prehistoric-world/permian-extinction/ Siberian Volcanic Eruptions Caused Extinction 250 Million Years Ago https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171002105227.htm Media Release: Nature’s Dangerous Decline ‘Unprecedented’ https://www.ipbes.net/news/Media-Release-Global-Assessment The Sixth Mass Extinction is Happening Faster Than Expected https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/01/world/sixth-mass-extinction-accelerating-intl/index.html World of Change https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/world-of-change/global-temperatures Glaciers, Old Masters, and Galileo: the Puzzle of the Chilly 17th Century https://www.giss.nasa.gov/research/briefs/shindell_06/ What Could Drive Humans to Extinction https://www.livescience.com/human-extinction-causes.html Status of World Nuclear Forces https://fas.org/issues/nuclear-weapons/status-world-nuclear-forces/ Nuclear Warheads: Who Has What at a Glance https://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/Nuclearweaponswhohaswhat#:~:text=The%20Federation%20of%20American%20Scientists,dismantlement%2C%20as%20of%20January%202020. Anthropocene https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/anthropocene/ Great Acceleration http://www.igbp.net/globalchange/greatacceleration.4.1b8ae20512db692f2a680001630.html How Much Longer Do We Have Left on Earth? https://www.independent.co.uk/news/long_reads/world-end-history-cosmos-apocalypse-universe-earth-a9456011.html Effects of Changing the Carbon Cycle https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/CarbonCycle/page5.php Will Humans Go Extinct? https://theconversation.com/will-humans-go-extinct-for-all-the-existential-threats-well-likely-be-here-for-a-very-long-time-135327 Biological annihilation 6th Mass Extinction event https://www.pnas.org/content/114/30/E6089 Founder / Director: Peter Schumaker Chief Editor:Tristan Reed Science Editors: Dr. Caroline Palmer-Puschendorf (PhD) Dr. Sean McKenna (PhD) Original soundtrack by Joseph McDade