The human age we live in has impacted nearly all life on our planet. Some of the worst of these effects are the extinctions and extirpations of an untold number of species over the past few thousand years at an accelerating rate. The most recent wave of extinction has led some scientists to call our period the Anthropocene Extinction, along with the Sixth Mass Extinction.
In the past, the giant Chicxulub impactor caused the end of the non-avian dinosaurs and many other lifeforms 66 million years ago. Other extinction events included the initial growth of trees, which likely caused the death of 70 percent to 80 percent of animal species on Earth in the Devonian, starting 375 million years ago.
But today, humans are making an impact to the planet. So what are the root causes of this latest extinction event? It’s complicated, and several factors combine to cause most of the extinctions on Earth.
Human Development of Vital Habitat
One of the largest causes of extinction across the world is habitat loss, usually due to development and human expansion. This often includes everything from the destruction and deforestation of rainforests for housing developments, farms, and ranches.
