Are Humans too Numerous to Become Extinct?

• Main Author: Cairns, John Jr.
• Other Authors: Biological Sciences
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Virginia Tech 2009
• Subjects: extinction; over populatoin; climate change; carrying caacity; Ocean acidification
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/25005; http://www.johncairns.net/Commentaries/toonumerous.pdf

Some claim that humans are too numerous to become extinct. However, passenger pigeon, once the most numerous birds on the planet, are now extinct. For years, humankind has been damaging its habitat, discharging toxic chemicals into the environment, and having harmful effects on agricultural productivity due to climate change. Humankind s extinction depends on the continuation of various human activities including economic growth, addiction to fossil fuel, over consumption, overpopulation, ocean acidification, and use of toxicants. If humankind wants to remain on this planet, it must start preparing for a vastly different environment on Earth.