Wednesday, October 31, 2018

№ 455: SPOILER ALERT!

Guardian: Humanity has wiped out 60% of animal populations since 1970, report finds


The huge loss is a tragedy in itself but also threatens the survival of civilisation, say the world’s leading scientists

Many scientists believe the world has begun a sixth mass extinction, the first to be caused by a species – Homo sapiens. Other recent analyses have revealed that humankind has destroyed 83% of all mammals and half of plants since the dawn of civilisation and that, even if the destruction were to end now, it would take 5-7 million years for the natural world to recover.

The biggest cause of wildlife losses is the destruction of natural habitats, much of it to create farmland. Three-quarters of all land on Earth is now significantly affected by human activities. Killing for food is the next biggest cause – 300 mammal species are being eaten into extinction – while the oceans are massively overfished, with more than half now being industrially fished.

Forget 
the Black Plague.
Forget 
Spanish Flu.
Forget your
World War.
Part I 
and Part II.
What we have here
is more Chicxulub.

Chicxulub?

The meteor crater
off Yucatan
that meant the end 
of Dinosaurland,
clearing a swath
for mammals to thrive,
the ONLY-est reason
we are alive. 

We,
a feeble species
with tiny paws.
Instead of
glorious dinosaurs.

We have been always
an impulsive species
given to wallowing
deep in our feces.
Vigilant, ever
on the alert.
Finding new ways
to make all things hurt.
Believing, always,
we have a plan
that will not earn us
a kick in the can.

Even with 
our incredible flaws,
we are still smarter
than dinosaurs.
Unlike us,
they didn't THINK.
They needed a meteor
to take them extinct.
Meteor, schmeator.
Su-per-flu-ous!
Wanna see MASS extinction?
Leave it to US!