De-extinction is now a scientific possibility. Should we bring back animals from the Paleolithic? If so, how should we? What are the ethical implications of resurrecting extinct organisms? These are questions we will be facing this decade.
Read MoreA New Era
The United States is officially phasing out biomedical research on chimpanzees. This is a fantastic development that we should all celebrate. However, more work needs to be done. We can now start to address a bigger issue: chimpanzees in North America.
Read MoreSuper Volcanoes: Our Biggest Threat?
There are few natural disasters that pose a threat to our species. However, super volcanoes have devastated the global biosphere in the past and if one were to occur today, it would seriously destabilize our civilization. At the moment our knowledge of super volcanoes is impoverished but current evidence suggests that there is one underneath Yellowstone National Park that could erupt soon on a geologic time scale.
Read MoreThe State of Things
African great ape populations are facing several anthropogenic threats (e.g., hunting, disease transmission, habitat loss). A recent study has revealed that habitat loss may be the most critical and is a far larger threat than previously believed by experts. If the rate of habitat loss continues to increase, the African great apes may not see 2100.
Read MoreA World With More Than One Human Species
For most of our species existence we shared this planet with other humans (i.e., Neaderthals, Denisova). They co-existed in many regions throughout Eurasia for tens of thousands of years. What was their relationship like? And what would our world look like today if there were more than one human species?
Read MoreA Good or Bad Exchange?
The world changed in profound ways after 1492. The Columbian Exchange resulted in the transfer of divergent and previously isolated flora and fauna becoming transported to new landscapes. This forever changed natural history and human history. However, did the Columbian exchange reap irreparable damage on the biosphere as a whole? Was it a good or bad exchange?
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