While these mass extinctions were devastating, they created opportunities for new life in their wake. Some argue that by so rapidly altering the natural environment in ways that are changing the climate and wiping out habitats, human activity has initiated a sixth mass extinction, And, a study published lasted week suggests that increasing greenhouse gas emission rates could trigger a mass extinction in the ocean. Scientists have assumed that changes in ocean carbon storage are related to the source of carbon dioxide. “More carbon dioxide leads to more carbon dioxide. The oceans are currently absorbing carbon dioxide at rates that exceed the end-Permian extinction over 250 million years ago, which is considered to be the greatest rate of carbon change in the ocean on record.

Source: Forbes July 17, 2019 15:56 UTC