The Sixth Extinction: Chapter 5

In this chapter, Kolbert speaks on multiple ideas and at the end leaves us wondering if we are truly doomed. For starters, she speaks on adaptation and how species, specifically humans, use their common knowledge from past experiences to survive but as what they know begins to change they use different strategies to adapt to this change. This theory is known as the “paradigm shifts” was introduced by an experiment conducted by Thomas Kuhn where people used their prior knowledge to figure out the name of playing cards but after encountering modified cards the person will mistake them for the original version which is followed by them developing strategies to help them succeed in these new circumstances. This hypothesis can be connected to the history of science as shown by the example of Cuvier whose hypothesis were so different from what scientists thought they knew that it seemed incompetent are now acknowledged. This happened again with the theory of Alverez where scientist once thought extinction could only happen gradually but the theory changed this common belief and global tragedies became acceptable such as the one that caused The Great Extinction. This theory has led to scientists coming up with theories of different cases of natural catastrophes to explain many of science's greatest mysteries. One theory is that there was another mass extinction caused by an increase of carbon dioxide causing the temperature to go up, water to become more acidic, and the amount of oxygen in water to increase, these factors led to many species of marine life dying off ultimately adding up to be 90% of the planets species. Both theories have one similarity, and that’s that once no one thought they were possible. Zalasiewicz’s theory is a theory that seems impossible but the more you think about it the more possible it becomes. The hypothesis is that rats will eventually take over the planet after there is another mass extinction because of how fast they can adapt and the fact that they’re everywhere. This theory brings up the idea of another mass extinction during the time of man and so far we are en route due to the ways that people have impacted the planet. After reading all this, I just want to know that if this is true, is there time to stop this possible extinction? I also now see the relevance of The Golden Frogs disappearance because it’s a sign that the next mass extinction is coming soon.

This chapter is a perfect example of how science is a process where things are always changing because it shows how we get so used to what we think we already know that we disregard any new ideas. As Kuhn explains it “Data that did not fit the commonly accepted assumptions of a discipline would either be discounted or explained away for as long as possible.”(Kolbert 93) This proves that science is something that develops gradually because often certain theories are put in the dark because it contradicts a natural fact.