Mira Pinto - WAC - We Are Not In a Sixth Mass Extinction
Despite what many people think, we are not in a sixth mass extinction. A mass extinction is when many species become extinct over a short period of time, which is not what is currently happening in the world. Many people face the misconception that we are in a sixth mass extinction because numbers in various animals have dropped. However, numbers in animals have not dropped much in the past fifty years. We are also not in a sixth mass extinction because when climate change affects many species, most animals can move or adapt to the new climate, and do not become extinct. Finally, we are not in a sixth mass extinction because we are not seeing any similarities in nature than those that have happened in the past five mass extinctions.
Many scientists believe that we are in a sixth mass extinction because numbers in various animals have dropped. However, numbers in animals have not dropped much in the past fifty years. By comparing the rate of extinction during the past five mass extinctions, we are not currently in a sixth mass extinction. In the article, ‘Scientists Can't Agree If We're Really In A Mass Extinction’, by Sarah Schlieder, "Some scientists disagree. Stewart Brand, president of the Long Now Foundation, says current rates don't signal a mass extinction because the past five wiped out at least 70 percent of all species in a relatively short time. He says current rates are too slow for us to be in the middle of one." This shows that even though the population of many animals has fluctuated, the rates are much different from the past five extinctions, meaning that we are not in a sixth mass extinction. The article, ‘Rethinking Extinctions,’ by Stewart Brand says, "An article by Carl Zimmer, for the New York Times, noted that in the centuries since 1500, some 514 species have gone extinct on land but only 15 in the oceans, and none at all in the past 50 years." This shows that even though some species have gone extinct since the 1500s, none have gone extinct in the past fifty years, showing that we are not in a sixth mass extinction. However, as well as numbers in animals decreasing, many people believe that climate change is another reason that we are in a sixth mass extinction.
Another reason that we are not in a sixth mass extinction is because when animals are affected by climate change, they generally move or adapt to the new climate. Just because some species are having trouble adapting to the new climate does not mean that we are in a sixth mass extinction. In the article titled ‘Rethinking Extinctions,’ by Stewart Brand, it mentions that just because species are challenged by a new climate does not mean that they cannot survive. "Anyone who doubts the reality of global warming need only talk to a few field biologists. Everyone doing field research is discovering how sensitive the organisms they study are to slight changes in average temperature, in the length of the growing season, in rainfall patterns. But just because organisms are sensitive to change doesn’t mean they are threatened by it. Any creature or plant facing a shifting environment has three choices: move, adapt, or die." This shows that, even though many species are not used to the new climate, they can still move to a different location, or adapt to the new climate. The same article, ‘Rethinking Extinctions,’ mentions that when animals are challenged by a new climate, they tend to adapt and find ways to survive. "When organisms are challenged by climate change, they respond by adapting, they evolve. When they move, they often encounter distant cousins and hybridize with them, sometimes evolving new species." This shows that not only do they find ways to survive, they also evolve into new species that would be better fit for the change in climate. When animals are affected by climate change, they do not always die, they can adapt to the new climate as well. This proves that we are not in a sixth mass extinction, because animals have proven that they can survive a change in climate. However, many disagree.
Many people disagree and say that we are in a sixth mass extinction because humans are burning fossil fuels, contributing to climate change. They believe that by burning fossil fuels, we are causing a change in the climate that many animals and plants cannot adapt well to, meaning that we are causing the sixth mass extinction. According to the article, ‘Sixth mass extinction: The era of 'biological annihilation,’ by John D. Sutter, "The causes of the sixth mass extinction are well-known. People are burning fossil fuels, contributing to climate change." This shows that as people are burning fossil fuels, they are contributing to climate change, which may be causing a sixth mass extinction. However, even though climate change is a major problem in America, and all around the world, many plants and animals manage to adapt to the new climate and fight to survive. Many animals also move to cooler locations around the world, and can evolve into different species that are adapted to a warmer climate.
Even though we are seeing signs of extinctions of many animals and plants, it does not mean that we are currently in a sixth mass extinction. According to the article by Eric Worrall, titled, ‘Paleo Expert: Earth is Not in the Midst of a Sixth Mass Extinction,’ it states that, "Nothing we have done to the climate or the world in general comes anywhere close to the unimaginable circumstances of previous mass extinctions. Erwin does not rule out the possibility we might somehow trigger a mass extinction in the future. But killing off a few photogenic species simply doesn’t qualify." This shows that by having only a few plant and animal extinctions, we are not in the midst of a sixth mass extinction. However, we may experience one in the future. The same article, ‘Paleo Expert: Earth is Not in the Midst of a Sixth Mass Extinction, states, "Picture previous mass extinctions; the sky darkened for months, maybe years by gigantic impacts or vast volcanic eruptions which lasted for thousands, even millions of years; Poisonous fumes spreading across the entire world, choking the life out of entire continents; A handful of animals and plants somehow scrounging warmth and food from an almost lifeless wasteland. Compare this nightmarish hellscape to the slight wobble we may have helped introduce to global temperatures, a wobble so small it cannot be reliably differentiated from previous natural wobbles which occurred in the last few centuries." This shows that even though we may be approaching a mass extinction in the future, there are no signs that we are currently in one. Thus, we are not in a sixth mass extinction.
In conclusion, we are not currently in a sixth mass extinction. Even though numbers in many plants and animals have fluctuated, not many species have become extinct in the past fifty years. This shows that there are still many species out there. Climate change has affected many species, however, animals tend to move or adapt to the new climate, and do not become extinct. Finally, we are not in a sixth mass extinction because there are no signs of being in one. However, that does not mean that we may be approaching one in the future. Do you think we are in a sixth mass extinction?
Many scientists believe that we are in a sixth mass extinction because numbers in various animals have dropped. However, numbers in animals have not dropped much in the past fifty years. By comparing the rate of extinction during the past five mass extinctions, we are not currently in a sixth mass extinction. In the article, ‘Scientists Can't Agree If We're Really In A Mass Extinction’, by Sarah Schlieder, "Some scientists disagree. Stewart Brand, president of the Long Now Foundation, says current rates don't signal a mass extinction because the past five wiped out at least 70 percent of all species in a relatively short time. He says current rates are too slow for us to be in the middle of one." This shows that even though the population of many animals has fluctuated, the rates are much different from the past five extinctions, meaning that we are not in a sixth mass extinction. The article, ‘Rethinking Extinctions,’ by Stewart Brand says, "An article by Carl Zimmer, for the New York Times, noted that in the centuries since 1500, some 514 species have gone extinct on land but only 15 in the oceans, and none at all in the past 50 years." This shows that even though some species have gone extinct since the 1500s, none have gone extinct in the past fifty years, showing that we are not in a sixth mass extinction. However, as well as numbers in animals decreasing, many people believe that climate change is another reason that we are in a sixth mass extinction.
Another reason that we are not in a sixth mass extinction is because when animals are affected by climate change, they generally move or adapt to the new climate. Just because some species are having trouble adapting to the new climate does not mean that we are in a sixth mass extinction. In the article titled ‘Rethinking Extinctions,’ by Stewart Brand, it mentions that just because species are challenged by a new climate does not mean that they cannot survive. "Anyone who doubts the reality of global warming need only talk to a few field biologists. Everyone doing field research is discovering how sensitive the organisms they study are to slight changes in average temperature, in the length of the growing season, in rainfall patterns. But just because organisms are sensitive to change doesn’t mean they are threatened by it. Any creature or plant facing a shifting environment has three choices: move, adapt, or die." This shows that, even though many species are not used to the new climate, they can still move to a different location, or adapt to the new climate. The same article, ‘Rethinking Extinctions,’ mentions that when animals are challenged by a new climate, they tend to adapt and find ways to survive. "When organisms are challenged by climate change, they respond by adapting, they evolve. When they move, they often encounter distant cousins and hybridize with them, sometimes evolving new species." This shows that not only do they find ways to survive, they also evolve into new species that would be better fit for the change in climate. When animals are affected by climate change, they do not always die, they can adapt to the new climate as well. This proves that we are not in a sixth mass extinction, because animals have proven that they can survive a change in climate. However, many disagree.
Many people disagree and say that we are in a sixth mass extinction because humans are burning fossil fuels, contributing to climate change. They believe that by burning fossil fuels, we are causing a change in the climate that many animals and plants cannot adapt well to, meaning that we are causing the sixth mass extinction. According to the article, ‘Sixth mass extinction: The era of 'biological annihilation,’ by John D. Sutter, "The causes of the sixth mass extinction are well-known. People are burning fossil fuels, contributing to climate change." This shows that as people are burning fossil fuels, they are contributing to climate change, which may be causing a sixth mass extinction. However, even though climate change is a major problem in America, and all around the world, many plants and animals manage to adapt to the new climate and fight to survive. Many animals also move to cooler locations around the world, and can evolve into different species that are adapted to a warmer climate.
Even though we are seeing signs of extinctions of many animals and plants, it does not mean that we are currently in a sixth mass extinction. According to the article by Eric Worrall, titled, ‘Paleo Expert: Earth is Not in the Midst of a Sixth Mass Extinction,’ it states that, "Nothing we have done to the climate or the world in general comes anywhere close to the unimaginable circumstances of previous mass extinctions. Erwin does not rule out the possibility we might somehow trigger a mass extinction in the future. But killing off a few photogenic species simply doesn’t qualify." This shows that by having only a few plant and animal extinctions, we are not in the midst of a sixth mass extinction. However, we may experience one in the future. The same article, ‘Paleo Expert: Earth is Not in the Midst of a Sixth Mass Extinction, states, "Picture previous mass extinctions; the sky darkened for months, maybe years by gigantic impacts or vast volcanic eruptions which lasted for thousands, even millions of years; Poisonous fumes spreading across the entire world, choking the life out of entire continents; A handful of animals and plants somehow scrounging warmth and food from an almost lifeless wasteland. Compare this nightmarish hellscape to the slight wobble we may have helped introduce to global temperatures, a wobble so small it cannot be reliably differentiated from previous natural wobbles which occurred in the last few centuries." This shows that even though we may be approaching a mass extinction in the future, there are no signs that we are currently in one. Thus, we are not in a sixth mass extinction.
In conclusion, we are not currently in a sixth mass extinction. Even though numbers in many plants and animals have fluctuated, not many species have become extinct in the past fifty years. This shows that there are still many species out there. Climate change has affected many species, however, animals tend to move or adapt to the new climate, and do not become extinct. Finally, we are not in a sixth mass extinction because there are no signs of being in one. However, that does not mean that we may be approaching one in the future. Do you think we are in a sixth mass extinction?
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