The Sixth Extinction Discussion Questions

In The Sixth Extinction, how does author Elizabeth Kolbert show that scientific theories change over time?

Kolbert shares anecdotes from the past three centuries to reveal how evidence leads to a new understanding in scientific theory. By telling the stories of American geologist Walter Alvarez’s discovery of the asteroid that possibly killed the dinosaurs and French zoologist Georges Cuvier’s evidence-based ideas on extinction and by tracing British naturalist Charles Darwin’s contributions to the theory of evolution, Kolbert shows how paradigm shifts have defined and redefined scientific thought over time.

In The Sixth Extinction, what is the symbolism of the Great Barrier Reef?

The Great Barrier Reef serves as a symbol not only for the crisis of the Sixth Extinction but for the downfall of humanity as the creator of its own demise. The reef is at once a strong fortress and a crumbling city, representing both the millions of years that led to its creation and the decades that have accelerated its destruction. The Great Barrier Reef serves as a warning of how humans are impacting the world in which they live.

What is the “madness gene” in The Sixth Extinction, and how does it impact the future?

The “madness gene” was proposed by Swedish geneticist Svante Pääbo to describe humanity’s most unique quality. In comparing humans to Neanderthals (hominids that lived between 30,000 and 200,000 years ago), this quality is the one that Pääbo believes allowed humans to survive while Neanderthals went extinct. It is also the characteristic that caused humans to have such a lasting impact wherever they went and what is causing the Sixth Extinction. The madness gene will likely impact the future by leading humanity further down the path of extinction. However, Kolbert proposes that it could also be harnessed to potentially solve the crisis.

In The Sixth Extinction, how does the Sixth Extinction compare to those that came before it?

The “Big Five” extinctions occurred over a relatively short period of time, geologically speaking, and killed off a majority of the existing species. The suspected causes of the Big Five range from global cooling to ocean acidification to asteroid collision. The Sixth Extinction shares some of these suspected causes with the Big Five—particularly ocean acidification and global temperature change. But it is unique in that it is a product of humanity’s impact on the planet and is occurring over generations, rather than millennia, much faster than past catastrophes.

In The Sixth Extinction, does Kolbert suggest the Sixth Extinction can be slowed or stopped?

Kolbert does not offer a definitive answer as to whether or not the Sixth Extinction can be slowed or stopped. First, she establishes general catastrophic extinction as an unstoppable event, evidenced by the first five mass extinctions. However, even though Kolbert states that the Sixth Extinction is caused by humans, she leaves open the possibility that it can be stopped. Chapter 13 proposes that humans could use their ingenuity—key in causing the current crisis in the first place—to find ways to reverse course. Even so, Kolbert is quick to point out many critical issues that could mean it’s already too late. These include the danger facing coral reefs, the warming of the environment, and the disappearance of amphibians.