Charles Darwin was a genius who won the Nobel prize for his then-groundbreaking theory and extensive documentation about the possibility, now accepted as scientifically proven, that all known species of everything alive evolved from species that came before. [1] [12]
His evolutionary theory has become widely accepted by educators and is commonly taught as the de facto explanation for how all life came to be in its modern form. It is also often cited as “proof” that creationist religious theories are false. [2]
Darwin’s theory also seeks to explain the end of species. Available lists catalog hundreds of species that became extinct in the last few hundred years. [4] Far more species have come and gone before. [11]
Some theorists surmise that the world is entering a mass extinction, with many thousands of species expected to become extinct in the next hundred years. [10] Geologic records indicate five mass extinctions that came before. [1] [2]
I am concerned that this won’t end well.
While I’m concerned this won’t end well, I’m also aware that we can’t really know how this will end (or not) while we’re in the middle of it, so I’m offering whatever we know about alternatives.
Sometimes humans are clueless about extinct species.
It’s also possible that, while we can identify the role of humans in many modern extinctions, humans are simply coincidental in the ongoing series of mass extinction events.
Maybe even more compelling is the understanding that humans arrogantly believe we can identify with certainty the final member of any given species that may reside across millions of square miles of earth or millions of cubic miles of ocean, lake, and river. [9]
Some extinct species are found again.
Here are at least two dozen species formerly believed extinct that we have found alive again: [5] [6] [7] [8]
Nonetheless, the trend is going the wrong way.
Despite finding only a couple of dozen species that we formerly believed extinct, there are hundreds of species that have recently “disappeared” and thousands more in decline.
While our human species continues to grow in number, can that continue sustainably?
I post this blog post under the “Adventure” category because a true adventure has an uncertain outcome. We don’t know how it’s going to go, and we don’t know how it’s going to end. It’s the same story with the future of the human race.
Where do you think this is going? Are you taking action related to your beliefs in this area?
Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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