Extinctions in Near Time: Biodiversity Loss Since the Pleistocene

The transition 11,700 years ago from the Pleistocene glacial period into the Holocene interglacial witnessed the expansion of humans around the world, climatic warming and the demise of many large vertebrate species. Since that time extinctions have continued on land and in the sea, culminating with the biodiversity crisis we are experiencing today. We explored these prehistoric extinctions—Who? When? Where? and Why?—in order to learn more about our planet’s future. Students then translated their knowledge into a podcast for a general audience addressing the question: Why do we care when species face extinction?