World's sixth mass extinction may be underway - study

Aurora · Post by **Aurora** » 07 Mar 2011, 07:31

The Independent - 07/03/11

Mankind may have unleashed the sixth known mass extinction in Earth's history, according to a paper released on Wednesday by the science journal Nature.

Over the past 540 million years, five mega-wipeouts of species have occurred through naturally-induced events.

But the new threat is man-made, inflicted by habitation loss, over-hunting, over-fishing, the spread of germs and viruses and introduced species and by climate change caused by fossil-fuel greenhouse gases, says the study.

Evidence from fossils suggests that in the "Big Five" extinctions, at least 75 percent of all animal species were destroyed.

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snow hope · Post by **snow hope** » 07 Mar 2011, 09:09

Does this mean that we are mankind's sixth attempt on Earth?

UndercoverElephant · Post by **UndercoverElephant** » 07 Mar 2011, 09:31

"May" be underway?

eatyourveg · Post by **eatyourveg** » 08 Mar 2011, 10:58

snow hope wrote:Does this mean that we are mankind's sixth attempt on Earth?

No, but it is flattering to know that we can have the same effect as say, a large meteor impact.