"Human Activities Wiping Out Entire Branches of Earth's Tree of Life, Study Reveals"

A study from Stanford University and the National Autonomous University of Mexico reveals that human-driven mass extinction is not only wiping out species but also entire genera, resulting in a "mutilation of the tree of life." The analysis shows that 73 genera of land-dwelling vertebrates have gone extinct since 1500 AD, with birds experiencing the highest losses. The current rate of vertebrate genus extinction exceeds that of the last million years by 35 times. The loss of entire branches of the tree of life has severe consequences for biodiversity, ecosystem stability, human health, and the climate crisis. Urgent political, economic, and social action is needed to prevent further extinctions and address the interconnected extinction and climate crises.