Humans have already triggered the start of Earth’s sixth mass extinction, thereby threatening their own future as a species, a hard-hitting new study has claimed.
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The window of opportunity to prevent the worst diversity disaster since dinosaurs were swept from the planet 65 million years ago is “rapidly closing”, warn the authors.
In the last century vertebrates have been disappearing at a rate 114 times higher than would normally be expected without the destructive influence of humans, according to the scientists, who insist their analysis is “extremely conservative”.
If the current pace of extinction is allowed to continue, species loss will have a significant effect on human populations in as little as three generations, it is claimed.
Once the damage is done, it could take millions of years for nature to recover, said the researchers.
They pointed out that since 1900, over 400 more vertebrates than expected had vanished. The lost animals included 69 mammal, 80 bird, 24 reptile, 146 amphibian and 158 fish species.
Today, the spectre of extinction hung over 26 per cent of all mammalian species and 41 per cent of all amphibians.
Professor Paul Ehrlich, from Stanford University in California, a leading member of the team, said: “Without any significant doubt ... we are now entering the sixth great mass extinction event.
READ MORE HERE: http://www.irishtimes.com/...
Yet, the Republicans still are trying to tell us NOT TO WORRY, that Climate Change is a HOAX... Unfortunately many listen but with the Pope on the side of Common Sense, maybe, if not America, other world nations will take heed and learn from the Science and make major changes to assure that Sapiens will survive Climate Change Catastrophes, human beings have help create, at least until the next millennium… Allowing us the time to get some of our species setup on another planet.
thinkingblue
READ MORE HERE:http://www.npr.org/...
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Republican Hoax - The Confederate Flag Isn't a Symbol of Racism
Let's Stop Pretending the Confederate Flag Isn't a Symbol of Racism - Krystie Yandoli
Read More Here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...