Are we living through a sixth mass extinction?

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1. 1

   Holocene extinction (Wikipedia)

   WikipediaPublished Oct 3, 2026Checked Oct 4, 2026

   “The Holocene or Anthropocene extinction is an ongoing extinction event caused by human activity during the current geological epoch, impacting diverse families of plants and animals, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates, as well as both terrestrial and marine species. It is sometimes also called the sixth extinction (though this can also describe the Capitanian). Current extinction rates are estimated at 100 to 1,000 times higher than natural background extinction rates. The Holocene extinction was preceded by the Late Pleistocene extinctions at the end of the last ice age (to which human activity also likely contributed) and the extinctions caused by Polynesian expansion. The Holocene extinction continues into the 21st century, driven by anthropogenic climate change, destruction of wetlands, deforestation, overfishing, ocean acidification, human population growth, economic growth, and increasing consumption, particularly among affluent societies. Factors such as rising meat production and the destruction of critical habitats compound these issues.”

2. 2

   The Greatest Extinction Event in 66 Million Years? Contextualising Anthropogenic Extinctions.

   Global change biology (Hatfield et al.)Published Sep 1, 2025Checked Oct 4, 2026

   “However, life on Earth has always changed and evolved, with most species ever to have existed now extinct. The question is, are human activities increasing the rate and magnitude of extinction to levels rarely seen in the history of life? Drawing on the literature on extinctions primarily over the last 66 million years (i.e., the Cenozoic), we ask: (1) what comparisons can meaningfully be drawn? and (2) when did the Earth last witness an extinction event on this scale? We conclude that, although challenging to address, the available evidence suggests that the ongoing extinction episode still falls a long way short of the devastation caused by the bolide impact 66 Ma, but that it has likely surpassed most other Cenozoic events in magnitude, with the possible exception of the Eocene-Oligocene transition (34 Ma), about which much uncertainty remains. Given the number of endangered and at-risk species, the eventual magnitude of the current event will depend heavily on humanity's response and how we interact with the rest of the biosphere over the coming millennia.”

3. 3

   Global patterns and drivers of extinction risk in island endemic terrestrial vertebrates.

   Science advances (Zhang et al.)Published Aug 5, 2026Checked Oct 4, 2026

   “However, cross-taxon extinction patterns and their drivers remain poorly understood. Here, we compiled a global dataset of 31,865 terrestrial vertebrates, including more than 7500 island endemic species, to evaluate the patterns and drivers of extinction risk in island endemics, in comparison with continent endemics and dual-range species. We found that island endemics face significantly higher extinction risk than non-island endemics, with 3.1% extinct and 34% currently threatened since 1500 CE. Extinction risk among island endemics is unevenly distributed and taxonomically structured, tightly linked to invasive species, overexploitation, and climate change. Compared with continent endemics and dual-range species, their elevated risk is closely associated with small range size and habitat specialization, while biological traits, climate, and anthropogenic pressures also exert taxon-specific effects. These findings explain the unique vulnerability of island endemic vertebrates and inform conservation priorities across island ecosystems.”

4. 4

   Mental models of the sixth mass extinction reveal pathways for transformative sustainability action.

   Scientific reports (Shreedhar)Published Feb 20, 2026Checked Oct 4, 2026

   “Yet public understanding of the biodiversity crisis remains largely unexplored. This article presents the first comprehensive examination of public mental models regarding support for transformative changes using a nationally representative UK survey (n = 739). Whilst only 28% of respondents had heard of the “sixth mass extinction,” 93% accepted the phenomenon once explained, with 95% attributing it to human activities. Principal component analysis revealed distinct mental models for policy support (conservation, market regulation, lifestyle changes, and big technology) and behavioural change (citizenship, consumer actions, waste reduction, and nuclear energy use). Attribution to direct human causes strongly predicted support for transformative change (β = 0.44, p < 0.001), while attributions to distant and non-human causes reduced support (β = − 0.20, p < 0.001). These findings demonstrate high latent public support for sustainability transformations and provide actionable insights for science communication and policy engagement strategies addressing the biodiversity crisis.”

5. 5

   Species Extinction, Biodiversity, Human Health, and Inevitable Role of Lifestyle Medicine: A Narrative Review.

   American journal of lifestyle medicine (Stevens)Published Jul 1, 2026Checked Oct 4, 2026

   “This narrative review synthesizes evidence suggesting that biodiversity decline is increasingly relevant as a determinant of human health and survival rather than solely an environmental concern. The six pillars of lifestyle medicine, offer a coherent framework for interventions that can simultaneously prevent and improve lifestyle related illness outcomes while improving planetary health by reducing environmental pressures that drive species extinction and biodegradation. The review examines evidence synthesized from peer-reviewed databases (MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL, Joanna Briggs, SCOPUS, ScienceDirect, and GreenFILE), primarily 2010-2025, organized across seven thematic domains: infectious disease ecology, ecosystem services, microbiome dynamics, lifestyle medicine interventions, One Health integration, behavioural change, and clinical/policy implications. The review argues that lifestyle medicine must evolve from individual-focused clinical practice to also explicitly address structural drivers of ecological degradation, including food systems, transport, and urban design, thereby operationalizing planetary health principles in clinical care.”