Scientists believe that 99% of the estimated 50 billion species that have ever lived on Earth have disappeared through extinction. This is a natural process typically, but it can also be cataclysmic and it's becoming clear we are amid a massive one.
AI Summary
In this Stuff You Should Know episode, Josh and Chuck dive into the fascinating and sobering topic of mass extinctions throughout Earth's history. They explore the "Big Five" extinction events that have shaped our planet, from the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago to the massive Permian extinction that killed off 95% of all life. The hosts examine how scientists' understanding of extinction has evolved over time, discuss the challenges of studying the incomplete fossil record, and investigate whether we're currently experiencing a sixth mass extinction event potentially caused by human activity.
Armageddon
1998
2h 31m
★ 6.8
"It was a huge hit, deep impact, and Armageddon came out on the same day basically. — Josh mentioned these movies as examples of how people were nervous about extinction-level events around the turn of the millennium."
— Josh
Deep Impact
1998
2h 1m
★ 6.2
"It was a huge hit, deep impact, and Armageddon came out on the same day basically. — Josh mentioned these movies as examples of how people were nervous about extinction-level events around the turn of the millennium."
— Josh
Jurassic Park
1993
2h 7m
★ 8.0
"It is sort of Jurassic Parky. — Chuck compared de-extinction science to the movie when discussing bringing extinct species back to life."
— Chuck
The Colbert Report
2005
★ 6.9
"There's a woman named Elizabeth Colbert or Colbert, depending on if you watch the Colbert report — Josh referenced the TV show when discussing the pronunciation of journalist Elizabeth Kolbert's name."
— Josh
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