The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History (2014)

Discuss the debate concerning the reasons for the extinction of some species in the world and the emergence and increase of new species. How does this discussion add to the difficulty of predicting future species’ survival rates?

Kolbert notes that some species have exhibited an ability to adapt to changing environments, but the advent of the human species and its actions has sped up the time frame in which species would need to complete that adaptation. How significant is this challenge facing the Anthropocene era, and what implications may it have for the future of humanity?

Describe and discuss the impact of ocean acidification on marine life, and on key components of that life, such as coral reefs.