Earth has faced five catastrophic events over its millions of years of existence, causing changes that have wiped out vast numbers of species. Now, journalist Elizabeth Kolbert (Field Notes from a Catastrophe) warns, our planet is in the throes of another global extinction process--precipitated by humans. In clear, informative and entertaining prose, The Sixth Extinction takes us around the globe, from bat caves in New York to the hillsides outside Rome and the Great Barrier Reef, examining the evidence pointing the finger at mankind in this most recent die-off of thousands of organisms.
Through her field reports and interviews with experts in various disciplines, Kolbert shows the correlation between international travel via jet planes and cargo ships and global warming and ocean acidification, drawing further connections to the demise of Panamanian golden frogs, Sumatran rhinos, Hawaiian crows and other species (as well as entire ecosystems). "Life is extremely resilient," Kolbert writes, "but not infinitely so." Although mass extinctions have happened in the past, none have occurred at the rapid pace of this current one, a "rate of change" that doesn't allow time for species to recuperate. Her logical perspective brings disparate issues together into one unified piece, giving readers a horrific yet fascinating look at the disaster set in motion by Homo sapiens, who may ultimately be a victim of this extinction as well. --Lee E. Cart, freelance writer and book reviewer