De-Extinction

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Publisher : Twenty-First Century Books ™
ISBN 13 : 1512439029
Total Pages : 116 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (124 download)

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Book Synopsis De-Extinction by : Rebecca E. Hirsch

Download or read book De-Extinction written by Rebecca E. Hirsch and published by Twenty-First Century Books ™. This book was released on 2017-01-01 with total page 116 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the twenty-first century, because of climate change and other human activities, many animal species have become extinct, and many others are at risk of extinction. Once they are gone, we cannot bring them back—or can we? With techniques such as cloning, scientists want to reverse extinction and return lost species to the wild. Some scientists want to create clones of recently extinct animals, while others want to make new hybrid animals. Many people are opposed to de-extinction. Some critics say that the work diverts attention from efforts to save species that are endangered. Others say that de-extinction amounts to scientists "playing God." Explore the pros and cons of de-extinction and the cutting-edge science that makes it possible.

Bring Back the King

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Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1472912284
Total Pages : 305 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (729 download)

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Book Synopsis Bring Back the King by : Helen Pilcher

Download or read book Bring Back the King written by Helen Pilcher and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2016-09-22 with total page 305 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: If you could bring back just one animal from the past, what would you choose? It can be anyone or anything from history, from the King of the Dinosaurs, T. rex, to the King of Rock 'n' Roll, Elvis Presley, and beyond. De-extinction – the ability to bring extinct species back to life – is fast becoming reality. Around the globe, scientists are trying to de-extinct all manner of animals, including the woolly mammoth, the passenger pigeon and a bizarre species of flatulent frog. But de-extinction is more than just bringing back the dead. It's a science that can be used to save species, shape evolution and sculpt the future of life on our planet. In Bring Back the King, scientist and comedy writer Helen Pilcher goes on a quest to identify the perfect de-extinction candidate. Along the way, she asks if Elvis could be recreated from the DNA inside a pickled wart, investigates whether it's possible to raise a pet dodo, and considers the odds of a 21st century Neanderthal turning heads on public transport. Pondering the practicalities and the point of de-extinction, Bring Back the King is a witty and wry exploration of what is bound to become one of the hottest topics in conservation – if not in science as a whole – in the years to come. READ THIS BOOK – the King commands it.

Return from Extinction

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Publisher : Orca Book Publishers
ISBN 13 : 1459821386
Total Pages : 195 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (598 download)

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Book Synopsis Return from Extinction by : Linda L. Richards

Download or read book Return from Extinction written by Linda L. Richards and published by Orca Book Publishers. This book was released on 2020-10-13 with total page 195 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Less than 100 years ago, the northern elephant seal was thought to be extinct. Today more than 250,000 elephant seals swim in the Pacific Ocean from Alaska to Mexico. In Return from Extinction: The Triumph of the Elephant Seal Linda L. Richards tells the story of their dramatic recovery. Elephant seals were hunted to near extinction for their precious oil before the Mexican government stepped in to protect them. Many people thought it was too late. Even though the life of the elephant seal is difficult and only 20 percent of pups born will make it to adulthood, the species adapted and came back from the brink. They are a true conservation success story.

Rise of the Necrofauna

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Publisher : Greystone Books Ltd
ISBN 13 : 1771641630
Total Pages : 237 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (716 download)

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Book Synopsis Rise of the Necrofauna by : Britt Wray

Download or read book Rise of the Necrofauna written by Britt Wray and published by Greystone Books Ltd. This book was released on 2017-09-30 with total page 237 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Jurassic Park meets The Sixth Extinction in Rise of the Necrofauna, a provocative look at de-extinction from acclaimed documentarist and science writer Britt Wray. A New Yorker “The Books We Loved in 2017” Selection A Science News Favorite Book of 2017 A Sunday Times "Must Read" What happens when you try to recreate a woolly mammoth—fascinating science, or conservation catastrophe? In Rise of the Necrofauna, Wray takes us deep into the minds and labs of some of the world's most progressive thinkers to find out. She introduces us to renowned futurists like Stewart Brand and scientists like George Church, who are harnessing the powers of CRISPR gene editing in the hopes of "reviving" extinct passenger pigeons, woolly mammoths, and heath hens. She speaks with Nikita Zimov, who together with his eclectic father Sergey, is creating Siberia's Pleistocene Park—a daring attempt to rebuild the mammoth's ancient ecosystem in order to save earth from climate disaster. Through interviews with these and other thought leaders, Wray reveals the many incredible opportunities for research and conservation made possible by this emerging new field. But we also hear from more cautionary voices, like those of researcher and award-winning author Beth Shapiro (How to Clone a Woolly Mammoth) and environmental philosopher Thomas van Dooren. Writing with passion and perspective, Wray delves into the larger questions that come with this incredible new science, reminding us that de-extinction could bring just as many dangers as it does possibilities. What happens, for example, when we bring an "unextinct" creature back into the wild? How can we care for these strange animals and ensure their comfort and safety—not to mention our own? And what does de-extinction mean for those species that are currently endangered? Is it really ethical to bring back an extinct passenger pigeon, for example, when countless other birds today will face the same fate? By unpacking the many biological, technological, ethical, environmental, and legal questions raised by this fascinating new field, Wray offers a captivating look at the best and worst of resurrection science. A captivating whirlwind tour through the birth and early life of the scientific idea known as “de-extinction.”—Beth Shapiro, author of How to Clone a Mammoth: The Science of De-Extinction Published in Partnership with the David Suzuki Institute.

Back from the Brink

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Publisher : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ISBN 13 : 1328476677
Total Pages : 181 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (284 download)

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Book Synopsis Back from the Brink by : Nancy F. Castaldo

Download or read book Back from the Brink written by Nancy F. Castaldo and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. This book was released on 2018-04-24 with total page 181 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: True stories of how scientists are saving endangered species, with photos included: “Readers will be moved by Castaldo’s appreciation for these animals.” —Booklist (starred review) In this book, the acclaimed author of Sniffer Dogs details the successful efforts of scientists to bring threatened animals back from the brink of extinction. How could capturing the last wild California condors help save them? Why are some states planning to cull populations of the gray wolf, despite this species only recently making it off the endangered list? How did a decision made during the Civil War to use alligator skin for cheap boots nearly drive the animal to extinction? Back from the Brink answers these questions and more as it delves into the threats to seven species, and the scientific and political efforts to coax them back from the brink. This rich, informational look at the problem of extinction offers a source of hope—all of these animals’ numbers are now on the rise—and will inspire young wildlife lovers and aspiring scientists. Winner of the Crystal Kite Award and a Sigurd F. Olsen Best Nature book Honorable Mention

Return of the Sea Otter

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Publisher : Sasquatch Books
ISBN 13 : 1632171384
Total Pages : 257 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (321 download)

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Book Synopsis Return of the Sea Otter by : Todd McLeish

Download or read book Return of the Sea Otter written by Todd McLeish and published by Sasquatch Books. This book was released on 2018-03-20 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Captivating. . . . a full portrait of this adorable and ecologically important animal." —Publishers Weekly A science journalist travels the Pacific Coast in search of sea otters in this entertaining and inspiring book on the importance and history of this charismatic endangered species Sea otters—the adorable, furry marine mammals often seen floating on their backs holding hands—reveal the health of the coastal ecosystem along the Pacific Ocean. Once hunted for their prized fur in the 18th and 19th centuries, these animals nearly went extinct. Only now, nearly a century after hunting ceased, are populations showing stable growth in some places. Sea otters are a keystone species in coastal areas, feeding on sea urchins, clams, crab, and other crustaceans. When they are present, kelp beds are thick and healthy, providing homes for an array of sea life. When otters disappear, sea urchins take over, and the kelp disappears along with all the creatures that live in the beds. Now, thanks to their protected status, sea otters are making a comeback in California, Washington, and Alaska. In this hopeful book, science writer Todd McLeish embarks on an epic journey along the Pacific Coast—traveling from California to Alaska—to track the status, health, habits, personality, and viability of sea otters, and reveals how conservationists brought them back from the brink of extinction.

How to Clone a Mammoth

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Publisher : Princeton University Press
ISBN 13 : 0691209561
Total Pages : 240 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (912 download)

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Book Synopsis How to Clone a Mammoth by : Beth Shapiro

Download or read book How to Clone a Mammoth written by Beth Shapiro and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2020-09-08 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An insider's view on bringing extinct species back to life Could extinct species, like mammoths and passenger pigeons, be brought back to life? In How to Clone a Mammoth, Beth Shapiro, an evolutionary biologist and pioneer in ancient DNA research, addresses this intriguing question by walking readers through the astonishing and controversial process of de-extinction. From deciding which species should be restored to anticipating how revived populations might be overseen in the wild, Shapiro vividly explores the extraordinary cutting-edge science that is being used to resurrect the past. Considering de-extinction's practical benefits and ethical challenges, Shapiro argues that the overarching goal should be the revitalization and stabilization of contemporary ecosystems. Looking at the very real and compelling science behind an idea once seen as science fiction, How to Clone a Mammoth demonstrates how de-extinction will redefine conservation's future.

The Peregrine Returns

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Publisher : University of Chicago Press
ISBN 13 : 022646542X
Total Pages : 232 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (264 download)

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Book Synopsis The Peregrine Returns by : Mary Hennen

Download or read book The Peregrine Returns written by Mary Hennen and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2017-07-21 with total page 232 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Published in Association with the Field Museum."

Return of the Condor

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Publisher : Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN 13 : 1493078755
Total Pages : 273 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (93 download)

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Book Synopsis Return of the Condor by : John Moir

Download or read book Return of the Condor written by John Moir and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2023-11-21 with total page 273 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “A heart-stopping saga of the rescue from the very brink of extinction of one of the grandest of all birds.”—Thomas Lovejoy, president of the Amazon Biodiversity Center. RETURN OF THE CONDOR is the riveting account of one of the most dramatic attempts to save a species from extinction in the history of modern conservation. Features a new Afterword by the author. With the condor’s population down to only twenty-two birds in the 1980s and their very survival in doubt, the condor recovery team flouted conventional wisdom and pursued a controversial strategy to pull the bird back from the brink of extinction. Thus began the ongoing, decades-long program to reestablish America’s largest bird in its ancient home in Western skies. Award-winning science writer John Moir takes readers into the backcountry to get to know the recovery program scientists as well as some of the individual condors. These are stories of peril, uncertainty, and controversy. Woven throughout these tales of heartbreak and triumph is the extraordinary dedication of the humans who have sometimes risked their lives for this charismatic, intelligent, and social bird. Despite the program’s remarkable successes, the condor’s narrative is still unfolding with a number of challenges remaining. This includes the dilemma of lead poisoning among free-flying condors that is a major obstacle to the bird’s recovery. The new Afterword presents a compelling examination of the progress and continuing adversity facing the condor recovery effort since the first edition of the book was published. Finalist for the William Saroyan International Writing Prize from the Stanford University Libraries Honorable Mention from the National Association of Science Writers

Scatter, Adapt, and Remember

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Publisher : Anchor
ISBN 13 : 0385535929
Total Pages : 333 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (855 download)

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Book Synopsis Scatter, Adapt, and Remember by : Annalee Newitz

Download or read book Scatter, Adapt, and Remember written by Annalee Newitz and published by Anchor. This book was released on 2013-05-14 with total page 333 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In its 4.5 billion–year history, life on Earth has been almost erased at least half a dozen times: shattered by asteroid impacts, entombed in ice, smothered by methane, and torn apart by unfathomably powerful megavolcanoes. And we know that another global disaster is eventually headed our way. Can we survive it? How? As a species, Homo sapiens is at a crossroads. Study of our planet’s turbulent past suggests that we are overdue for a catastrophic disaster, whether caused by nature or by human interference. It’s a frightening prospect, as each of the Earth’s past major disasters—from meteor strikes to bombardment by cosmic radiation—resulted in a mass extinction, where more than 75 percent of the planet’s species died out. But in Scatter, Adapt, and Remember, Annalee Newitz, science journalist and editor of the science Web site io9.com explains that although global disaster is all but inevitable, our chances of long-term species survival are better than ever. Life on Earth has come close to annihilation—humans have, more than once, narrowly avoided extinction just during the last million years—but every single time a few creatures survived, evolving to adapt to the harshest of conditions. This brilliantly speculative work of popular science focuses on humanity’s long history of dodging the bullet, as well as on new threats that we may face in years to come. Most important, it explores how scientific breakthroughs today will help us avoid disasters tomorrow. From simulating tsunamis to studying central Turkey’s ancient underground cities; from cultivating cyanobacteria for “living cities” to designing space elevators to make space colonies cost-effective; from using math to stop pandemics to studying the remarkable survival strategies of gray whales, scientists and researchers the world over are discovering the keys to long-term resilience and learning how humans can choose life over death. Newitz’s remarkable and fascinating journey through the science of mass extinctions is a powerful argument about human ingenuity and our ability to change. In a world populated by doomsday preppers and media commentators obsessively forecasting our demise, Scatter, Adapt, and Remember is a compelling voice of hope. It leads us away from apocalyptic thinking into a future where we live to build a better world—on this planet and perhaps on others. Readers of this book will be equipped scientifically, intellectually, and emotionally to face whatever the future holds.

Resurrection Science

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Publisher : Macmillan + ORM
ISBN 13 : 1466879327
Total Pages : 278 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (668 download)

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Book Synopsis Resurrection Science by : M. R. O'Connor

Download or read book Resurrection Science written by M. R. O'Connor and published by Macmillan + ORM. This book was released on 2015-09-15 with total page 278 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: **A Library Journal Best Book of 2015 ** **A Christian Science Monitor Top Ten Book of September** In a world dominated by people and rapid climate change, species large and small are increasingly vulnerable to extinction. In Resurrection Science, journalist M. R. O'Connor explores the extreme measures scientists are taking to try and save them, from captive breeding and genetic management to de-extinction. Paradoxically, the more we intervene to save species, the less wild they often become. In stories of sixteenth-century galleon excavations, panther-tracking in Florida swamps, ancient African rainforests, Neanderthal tool-making, and cryogenic DNA banks, O'Connor investigates the philosophical questions of an age in which we "play god" with earth's biodiversity. Each chapter in this beautifully written book focuses on a unique species--from the charismatic northern white rhinoceros to the infamous passenger pigeon--and the people entwined in the animals' fates. Incorporating natural history and evolutionary biology with conversations with eminent ethicists, O'Connor's narrative goes to the heart of the human enterprise: What should we preserve of wilderness as we hurtle toward a future in which technology is present in nearly every aspect of our lives? How can we co-exist with species when our existence and their survival appear to be pitted against one another?

The Fall of the Wild

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Publisher : Columbia University Press
ISBN 13 : 0231548885
Total Pages : 152 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (315 download)

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Book Synopsis The Fall of the Wild by : Ben A. Minteer

Download or read book The Fall of the Wild written by Ben A. Minteer and published by Columbia University Press. This book was released on 2018-12-11 with total page 152 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The passenger pigeon, the great auk, the Tasmanian tiger—the memory of these vanished species haunts the fight against extinction. Seeking to save other creatures from their fate in an age of accelerating biodiversity loss, wildlife advocates have become captivated by a narrative of heroic conservation efforts. A range of technological and policy strategies, from the traditional, such as regulations and refuges, to the novel—the scientific wizardry of genetic engineering and synthetic biology—seemingly promise solutions to the extinction crisis. In The Fall of the Wild, Ben A. Minteer calls for reflection on the ethical dilemmas of species loss and recovery in an increasingly human-driven world. He asks an unsettling but necessary question: Might our well-meaning efforts to save and restore wildlife pose a threat to the ideal of preserving a world that isn’t completely under the human thumb? Minteer probes the tension between our impulse to do whatever it takes and the risk of pursuing strategies that undermine our broader commitment to the preservation of wildness. From collecting wildlife specimens for museums and the wilderness aspirations of zoos to visions of “assisted colonization” of new habitats and high-tech attempts to revive long-extinct species, he explores the scientific and ethical concerns vexing conservation today. The Fall of the Wild is a nuanced treatment of the deeper moral issues underpinning the quest to save species on the brink of extinction and an accessible intervention in debates over the principles and practice of nature conservation.

Orcas Everywhere

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Publisher : Orca Book Publishers
ISBN 13 : 1459819993
Total Pages : 278 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (598 download)

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Book Synopsis Orcas Everywhere by : Mark Leiren-Young

Download or read book Orcas Everywhere written by Mark Leiren-Young and published by Orca Book Publishers. This book was released on 2019-09-03 with total page 278 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Orcas are found in every ocean on the planet, but can they survive their relationship with humans? Orcas Everywhere looks at how humans around the world (Indigenous and non-Indigenous alike) related to orcas in the past, how we relate to them now and what we can do to keep cetacean communities alive and thriving. The book deals with science, philosophy, environmentalism and ethics in a kid-friendly and accessible way. Writer, filmmaker and orca activist Mark Leiren-Young takes us back to when killer whales were considered monsters and examines how humans went from using orcas for target practice to nearly loving them to death. If you know a young person who loves Free Willy or Finding Nemo, they will fall in love with these whales.

Extinction

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Publisher : Vintage
ISBN 13 : 0307833607
Total Pages : 338 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (78 download)

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Book Synopsis Extinction by : Thomas Bernhard

Download or read book Extinction written by Thomas Bernhard and published by Vintage. This book was released on 2013-08-21 with total page 338 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the late Thomas Bernhard, arguably Austria's most influential novelist of the postwar period, and one of the greatest artists in all twentieth-century literature in the German language, his magnum opus. Extinction, Bernhard's last work of fiction, takes the form of the autobiographical testimony of Franz-Josef Murau, the intellectual black sheep of a powerful Austrian land-owning family. Murau lives in Rome in self-imposed exile from his family, surrounded by a coterie of artistic and intellectual friends. On returning from his sister's wedding to the "wine-cork manufacturer" on the family estate of Wolfsegg, having resolved never to go home again, Murau receives a telegram informing him of the death of his parents and brother in a car crash. Not only must he now go back, he must do so as the master of Wolfsegg. And he must decide its fate. Divided into two halves, Extinction explores Murau's rush of memories of Wolfsegg as he stands at his Roman window considering the fateful telegram, in counterpoint to his return to Wolfsegg and the preparations for the funeral itself. Written in the seamless style for which Bernhard became famous, Extinction is the ultimate proof of his extraordinary literary genius. It is his summing-up against Austria's treacherous past and -- in unprecedented fashion -- a revelation of his own incredibly complex personality, of his relationship with the world in which he lived, and the one he left behind. A literary event of the first magnitude.

The Re-Origin of Species

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Author :
Publisher : Scribe Publications
ISBN 13 : 1925693007
Total Pages : 207 pages
Book Rating : 4.9/5 (256 download)

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Book Synopsis The Re-Origin of Species by : Torill Kornfeldt

Download or read book The Re-Origin of Species written by Torill Kornfeldt and published by Scribe Publications. This book was released on 2018-07-02 with total page 207 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What does a mammoth smell like? Do dinosaurs bob their heads as they walk, like today’s birds? Do aurochs low like cows? You may soon find out. From the Siberian permafrost to balmy California, scientists across the globe are working to resurrect all kinds of extinct animals, from ones that just left us to those that have been gone for many thousands of years. Their tools in this hunt are both fossils and cutting-edge genetic technologies. Some of these scientists are driven by sheer curiosity; others view the lost species as a powerful weapon in the fight to preserve rapidly changing ecosystems. It seems certain that these animals will walk the earth again, but what world will that give us? And is any of this a good idea? Science journalist Torill Kornfeldt travelled the world to meet the men and women working to bring these animals back from the dead. Along the way, she has seen the mammoth that has been frozen for 20,000 years, and visited the places where these furry giants will live again.

Extinction: Evolution and the End of Man

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Author :
Publisher : HarperCollins UK
ISBN 13 : 0007404867
Total Pages : 33 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (74 download)

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Book Synopsis Extinction: Evolution and the End of Man by : Michael Boulter

Download or read book Extinction: Evolution and the End of Man written by Michael Boulter and published by HarperCollins UK. This book was released on 2010-10-07 with total page 33 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How long do humans have left on Earth? Using cutting-edge science that revolutionises our understanding of evolution, Michael Boulter explains how we may be closer to our own extinction than we imagined.

The Sixth Extinction

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Author :
Publisher : Henry Holt and Company
ISBN 13 : 0805099794
Total Pages : 336 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (5 download)

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Book Synopsis The Sixth Extinction by : Elizabeth Kolbert

Download or read book The Sixth Extinction written by Elizabeth Kolbert and published by Henry Holt and Company. This book was released on 2014-02-11 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ONE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW'S 10 BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR A major book about the future of the world, blending intellectual and natural history and field reporting into a powerful account of the mass extinction unfolding before our eyes Over the last half a billion years, there have been five mass extinctions, when the diversity of life on earth suddenly and dramatically contracted. Scientists around the world are currently monitoring the sixth extinction, predicted to be the most devastating extinction event since the asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs. This time around, the cataclysm is us. In The Sixth Extinction, two-time winner of the National Magazine Award and New Yorker writer Elizabeth Kolbert draws on the work of scores of researchers in half a dozen disciplines, accompanying many of them into the field: geologists who study deep ocean cores, botanists who follow the tree line as it climbs up the Andes, marine biologists who dive off the Great Barrier Reef. She introduces us to a dozen species, some already gone, others facing extinction, including the Panamian golden frog, staghorn coral, the great auk, and the Sumatran rhino. Through these stories, Kolbert provides a moving account of the disappearances occurring all around us and traces the evolution of extinction as concept, from its first articulation by Georges Cuvier in revolutionary Paris up through the present day. The sixth extinction is likely to be mankind's most lasting legacy; as Kolbert observes, it compels us to rethink the fundamental question of what it means to be human.