Extinction

Catalog description

Why is the present-day extinction crisis an existential threat to the future of humankind? We are living in the age of the Anthropocene, when the human impact on global biodiversity has led to a dramatic increase in the rate of extinction of animals and plants - the so-called "sixth extinction". This course looks at the causes and consequences of extinctions in the modern era, as well as in the past. It takes a multidisciplinary and global perspective, drawing on evidence from earth science, paleontology, archaeology, climate science, genomics, ecology, and conservation biology. It examines what we have learned from the study of major mass extinctions and their proposed causes, including extra-terrestrial impacts, volcanism, and climate change. The course also looks at the factors associated with extinctions in the human fossil record and what role humans have played in past extinctions. It reviews contemporary extinctions across the globe and the steps being taken to conserve biodiversity. The final part of the course explores the possibilities of de-extinction, rewilding, and planned extinction, and the ethical issues that these raise.