The Sixth Extinction refers to the ongoing, human-caused mass extinction of species at an unprecedented rate. Unlike past extinctions caused by natural events (asteroids, volcanic eruptions, ice ages), this one is driven by human activities such as habitat destruction, pollution, and climate change.

         **Earth has experienced five major mass extinctions, each wiping out a significant portion of life:

1. Ordovician-Silurian (445 million years ago) – Ice age killed ~85% of species.
2. Devonian (375 million years ago) – Ocean life suffered due to low oxygen levels.
3. Permian-Triassic (252 million years ago) – “The Great Dying,” the worst extinction (~96% of marine species lost).
4. Triassic-Jurassic (200 million years ago) – Likely caused by massive volcanic eruptions.
5. Cretaceous-Paleogene (66 million years ago) – Asteroid impact wiped out dinosaurs.**

The Sixth Extinction?

      **The current extinction rate is 100–1,000 times higher than the natural background rate.

Human Causes: Deforestation & Habitat Destruction – Clearing rainforests, urban expansion. Climate Change – Rising temperatures disrupt ecosystems. Pollution & Plastics – Toxins in air, water, and soil harm wildlife. Overfishing & Poaching – Depleting species faster than they can reproduce. Invasive Species – Human-introduced species outcompete native ones.**

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60 Minutes Report, 6th Extinction, 15 minute youtube.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TqhcZsxrPA

CNN report, 6th Extinction Event, 25 minutes Youtube.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUA2VgLrgn0

TEDx, 6th Extinction event, caused by Humans, 11 minutes Youtube.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6zzp60qE4s

The Vanishing Wild, Mass Extinction, 60 Minutes Archives, youtube 13 minutes.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=_H9rJm5ePKA

The Economist Report, What three degrees of global warming looks like, 15 minute youtube

www.youtube.com/watch?v=uynhvHZUOOo

Coral Reef Bleaching, Record-breaking ocean heat triggers massive bleaching, PBS, youtube, 6 minutes

www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_42LsKGcVo