Some biologists believe that we are now in the midst of what they call “the sixth extinction”—the sixth time in the history of the earth when a devastating mass extinction has occurred. New Yorker staff writer Elizabeth Kolbert says that some estimate that half of all species may have disappeared by the end of this century. She joins The Takeaway to explain what may be causing this event, and what can be done to stop it.

For more, read an abstract of Elizabeth Kolbert's article, The Sixth Extinction? in The New Yorker. If you are a subscriber to the magazine, you can read the entire article.