Mass extinction events have wiped out many species from the gene pool. Despite what the general public believes, the extinction events are far from being mere historical events. Five have taken place as of now, and the sixth one looms over our heads. In this book, the author discusses how many species are undergoing extinction even today, often at human hands. She brings together research studies by scientists and botanists, discussing how the sixth extinction event is already wiping out the flora and fauna in diverse habitats around the world. From the Panamanian rainforest to the Great Barrier Reef, the Andes to the Bikini Atoll, from zoos in cities around the world to the author’s own backyard, the world is being ravaged by it. Mankind is generally unaware of the event, and if we do not take measures to stop and understand what it means to be human, we might very well be next.

About Elizabeth Kolbert

Elizabeth Kolbert is a journalist and writer working for the New Yorker. She has also written Field Notes from a Catastrophe: Man, Nature, and Climate Change.