Why mass extinctions matter

Human activity is causing the most rapid species loss for millions of years, but there is still time to act

Washington, DC- Joel stands surrounded by his images from the Photo Ark(WGBH Educational Foundation/Chun-Wei Yi)
(Image credit: WGBH Educational Foundation)

Evidence suggests that Earth is at the beginning of its sixth mass extinction event, the most rapid loss of species since dinosaurs were wiped out 65 million years ago.

The disappearance of thousands of plant and animal species, caused almost entirely by human activity, will have serious ecological, economic and social consequences, experts have warned.

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