Whenever people talk about the word extinction, there is always a sense of discoloration. In the long history of the macro economy, the emergence of organisms on Earth has not been long, and mass extinctions have occurred frequently, occurring every millions of years. According to scientists' predictions, the next time may be our turn. What is the basis for this worrying future? And how to deal with it!
As we all know, there are many plates of different masses and types on the earth, and the friction and collision between them have led to the occurrence of natural disasters such as earthquakes and volcanoes. However, on longer time scales, plate movements will also have another major consequence - mass extinction. According to research data, there have been five mass extinction events in Earth's history, the most serious of which occurred about 250 million years ago, causing the extinction of nearly 90% of living species.
But why does plate movement cause mass extinctions? This is closely related to geological activities such as volcanic eruptions and glacier melting caused by plate movements. During plate movement, heat from the Earth's interior is released through the earth's crust and oceans, forming geological activities such as volcanoes and rift valleys. These activities not only have the potential to produce large-scale destructive power, but also have far-reaching effects on the global climate and environment.
Taking volcanic eruptions as an example, the large amount of volcanic ash, gas and other substances released will directly affect the global climate, causing large-scale acid rain and global drought; Soaring carbon dioxide concentrations lead to a greenhouse effect, which causes the Earth's temperature to rise sharply, leading to ecosystem collapse and species extinction worldwide. In addition, glacier melting can alter ocean circulation and affect the stability of marine ecosystems, while prolonged cold weather can trigger severe famine and natural disasters.
In addition, human activities such as energy and industrial activities are also having an increasing impact on the global environment, accelerating the speed of global climate change. After years of research and observation, scientists have discovered that a range of species on Earth are disappearing or on the verge of extinction, and ecosystems are constantly degrading. This result is not only not a false alarm, on the contrary, it is the result of the destruction of the natural environment by human activities. In the face of this situation, we must not only stand idly by, but also need to take action to limit harmful human activities, promote sustainable use of resources, and protect the natural environment of the planet.
In fact, we can learn from history to reduce mass extinctions. First, we need to strengthen the protection of the natural environment and avoid destroying natural systems; Secondly, it is necessary to promote sustainable economic and social development and reduce the environmental impact of major activities such as production, consumption and transportation; Finally, governments and international organizations should also jointly promote global climate change response and environmental governance, strengthen environmental cooperation and technological innovation, and promote sustainable development in the world.
Obviously, everyone should pay attention to and take responsibility for environmental protection. Only by living in a more environmentally friendly way, reducing waste and pollution, promoting technological innovation and energy conservation and emission reduction, and actively participating in environmental protection organizations and activities, can we truly protect ourselves.
In short, mass extinctions are not rare events on Earth, but have long threatened the existence of life. Mankind must learn the lessons of history, recognize the fragility and importance of nature, take practical actions to protect the natural environment and ecosystems, and strive for the future of mankind and the survival of the earth.