[towaway15463]

Not really. As sentimental and time limited beings we don’t want to see things go extinct since we won’t be able to experience them again or be around to see what comes next. But in the larger picture we’re actually quite tame when it comes to extinction events. At least we are making an effort to limit the damage we’re doing. Space rocks and chemistry can’t do that. In the long run other species will evolve and maybe with luck we’ll have a hand in steering that evolution.

[therealdrag0]

If we domesticate the majority of the planet nothing substantial will evolve without us controlling it. We have replaced a large percentage of wild organic biomass with us and our pets and cattle and farms.

[towaway15463]

We’re still very far off from that and trending away from using more land in developed countries.

[wizofaus]

Really? "According to the a 2011 biomass census compiled by Vaclav Smil, human activity over the last 5,000 years has reduced total global biomass by about 50 percent". http://vaclavsmil.com/wp-content/uploads/PDR37-4.Smil_.pgs61...

[anigbrowl]

'it's nothing compared to an asteroid impact' is just the elaboration of 'humans can't impact climate lol' or 'obviously you don't even care about the heat death of the universe'. While we shouldn't paralyse ourselves with existential guilt, evoking apocalyptic scenarios in a policy discussion is usually intended to derail discussion and prevent the emergence of consensus, ime.