How do we know that bees were around when dinosaurs still roamed the Earth? The main evidence comes from fossils – the mineralized remains of long-dead organisms.
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Articles on Extinction
Displaying 141 - 160 of 332 articles
This diminutive deer isn’t the only fantastical life form discovered in Vietnam. But hunting and habitat destruction threaten many with extinction.
The Earth has experienced five periods of mass extinction. Scientists can’t quite be certain yet, but they’re fairly sure we’re now well into the sixth.
Aside from their intrinsic value, common bird species might be one of the only ways we connect with nature in our everyday lives. But these opportunities are under threat.
An obscure Russian prince lays claim to being the first person to announce that humanity may destroy itself through its own technological advancement.
Every cloud has a silver lining – even the debris cloud from an asteroid impact
Realising the silence of outer space was what made us appreciate our precarious position down on this pale blue dot – so beginning our obsession with extinction.
We don’t notice the plant species we’re losing, but we won’t be able to ignore the effect of their loss on our supply of food and medicine.
The world mourns the loss of Malaysia’s last male Sumatran rhino. Can anything stop the slide of the species towards extinction?
Scientists studied the fossilized bones of giant beavers to understand what they ate and whether the species could keep up with environmental change.
Stockwellia has links back to the epoch before Australia separated into its own continent and was mostly covered in rainforest.
Wild bees pollinate trees and shrubs that feed and shelter wildlife, provide flood control, prevent soil erosion and help regulate the climate.
A landmark report found more than one million species at risk of extinction – but even the “safe” ones may not be so safe.
President Rajoelina’s five-year term, starting in 2019, may be the last chance to avoid habitats and species from going extinct.
It’s hard to say exactly how many koalas are in the wild, but there’s no doubt they’re in serious trouble.
Tackling the extinction crisis is not just about protecting each species. It’s also about preserving their home.
Cats are wreaking havoc on Australia’s ecosystems and non-lethal methods aren’t enough.
A small finch has stalled the multi-million-dollar Carmichael mine.
The Global Assessment of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services has some sobering news.
New species are being discovered all the time, which only adds to the problem of knowing how many there are on the planet today. It also helps to know what we mean by species.
Top contributors
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Professor of Conservation Biology, Charles Darwin University
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Professor of Conservation and Sustainable Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University
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Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University
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Matthew Flinders Professor of Global Ecology and Models Theme Leader for the ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Flinders University
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Professor of Wildlife Ecology, Australian National University
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Associate Professor, Vertebrate Palaeontology Group, Flinders University
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Professor, Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University
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Lecturer in the School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University
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Professor of Environmental Management, The University of Queensland
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Professor in Conservation Science, School of Ecosystem and Forest Science, The University of Melbourne
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PhD candidate, Charles Darwin University
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Senior Lecturer in Paleontology and Evolutionary Biology, Life Sciences at the University of Bath, University of Bath
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Honorary Research Fellow, University of Sydney
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Jaana Dielenberg is a Friend of The Conversation.
University Fellow in Biodiversity, Charles Darwin University
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Distinguished Research Professor and Australian Laureate, James Cook University
