The Fatal Species Av Andrew Y. Glikson

This book presents a historywhich is nearing its nadir, where a species of warlike primates is destroying the delicate web of life perceived by Charles Darwin in The Origin of Species, committing a war against nature and the fastest mass extinction in the history of nature, with global temperatures incinerating the biosphere by several degrees Celsius,within a lifetime. Despite of this knowledge, Homo "sapiens" is proceeding to transfer every accessible molecule of carbon from the Earth crust to the atmosphere and hydrosphere, an auto-da-fe ensues of the terrestrial biosphere. As amplifying feedbacks to global warming-including fires, methane release, ice melt, and warming oceans-are intensifying, at a pace exceeding any recorded in thegeological past, societiesare pouring their remaining resources into wars. These include likely nuclear wars triggered by arsenals many thousands of missiles strong, posing an equal threat to human existence and that of many other species. Humans, having mastered fire,which allowedthem to survive the extreme ice ages,haveemerged in thecurrentinterglacial as major civilizations coupled with major bloodsheds, called "war",engulfing multitudes of innocent yet betrayed humans. Long suffering from illusions of omnipotence and omniscience, paranoid fears, a warlike mindset, aggression toward the animals and disrespect of females, coupled with artistic excellence and technical brilliance, humanshave become victims to a tragic conflict between the mind and the heart,with fatal consequences.