The Sixth Extinction: Why Scientists Say We're Causing Earth's Next Mass Die-Off

What the Book Reveals Kolbert, a staff writer for The New Yorker, spent years investigating extinction patterns across the globe, from coral reefs in the Pacific to bat caves in New York. Her research reveals that five primary drivers are accelerating species loss: habitat destruction, overharvesting, invasive species, pollution, and climate change. These forces are working together with devastating efficiency. The book documents how human activity has fundamentally altered Earth’s environment, ushering in what scientists call the Anthropocene epoch—a new geological age where human influence has become the dominant force shaping the planet’s ecosystems.