This is a very interesting panel on extinction past and future. They give overviews ranging from neanderthal DNA sequencing, flood basalts from Siberia containing CFC's that killed off other species, to the future of education – https://youtu.be/BFcZG_QVsT8
Video & Further Comments Below the Fold
The discussion mixed neandethal DNA with destructive CFC's and traditional universities becoming obsolete, so that's not such a simple mix to express clearly and succinctly.
I don't want to over-state/over-glorify the value of the video-piece, but here's something:
The “creative destruction” of business interests married to political power is destroying the natural world which allows it to exist. Obviously,
we should not emulate the causes of mass extinction that have occurred in earth's past. It took years to outlaw ozone-destroying CFC's and now we have ever more problems to reverse. Accelerating access to new ways of learning, connecting and affecting our world are needed to counter-balance the forces that are out of control, yet controlling much of our direction.
(If I were to continue) Self-educating and organizing what we've learned with others who want to create real, effective, lasting change demands our attention.
