About this episode
Are we living through Earth's sixth mass extinction event right now? Paleontologist Peter Ward presents his chilling analysis of how rapid climate change triggers species die-offs on a planetary scale, warning that our current trajectory mirrors the conditions that caused previous mass extinctions. His research reveals that rising temperatures and carbon dioxide levels create hydrogen sulfide poisoning in the oceans, turning life-sustaining waters into toxic death zones. Ward argues that we're already witnessing the early stages of this process, with accelerating species loss that could ultimately include humanity itself. From the Permian extinction that killed 95% of all life to the patterns emerging today, he explains why global warming represents an existential threat unlike any in human history. The terrifying truth is that Earth has experienced these catastrophic climate shifts before, and the geological record shows they happen faster than complex life can adapt. Time is running out to prevent the next great dying.