Shifting from prevention to damage control
Back in March this year before much of the world morphed into the weirdness that now dictates all facets of life, I wrote an update for the Is This How You Feel project led by Joe Duggan. It was an...
View ArticleNever let a good crisis go to waste
First published in the Millennium Alliance for Humanity and the Biosphere Blog on 5 May 2020. by Professor Dan Blumstein (University of California at Los Angeles), Professor Paul Ehrlich (Stanford...
View ArticleExtinction Anxiety
Earlier this week, the SBS show The Feed did a short segment called ‘Extinction Anxiety’ where I talked with host Alice Matthews about biodiversity extinctions. Given that it has so far only been...
View ArticleNew journal: Frontiers in Conservation Science
Several months ago, Daniel Blumstein of UCLA approached me with an offer — fancy leading a Special Section in a new Frontiers journal dedicated to conservation science? I admit that my gut reaction was...
View ArticleGrand Challenges in Global Biodiversity Threats
Last week I mentioned that the new journal Frontiers in Conservation Science is now open for business. As promised, I wrote a short article outlining our vision for the Global Biodiversity Threats...
View ArticleCartoon guide to biodiversity loss LXIII
The sixth set of biodiversity cartoons for 2020. See full stock of previous ‘Cartoon guide to biodiversity loss’ compendia here. —
View ArticleTime for a ‘cold shower’ about our ability to avoid a ghastly future
“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo. “So do I,’ said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do...
View ArticleWorried about Earth’s future? Well, the outlook is worse than even scientists...
Daniel Mariuz/AAP Corey J. A. Bradshaw, Flinders University; Daniel T. Blumstein, University of California, Los Angeles, and Paul Ehrlich, Stanford University Anyone with even a passing interest in the...
View ArticleA perfect storm of global ineptitude
Given the ‘success’ (i.e., a lot of people seem to be reading it) of our recent Ghastly Future paper, I thought it would be interesting to go back and have a look at what we wrote in our 2015 book...
View ArticleCartoon guide to biodiversity loss LXVI
Here is the third set of biodiversity cartoons for 2021. See full stock of previous ‘Cartoon guide to biodiversity loss’ compendia here.
View ArticleIt’s a tough time for young conservation scientists
Sure, it’s a tough time for everyone, isn’t it? But it’s a lot worse for the already disadvantaged, and it’s only going to go downhill from here. I suppose that most people who read this blog can...
View ArticleClimate change will also make us more stupid
Most people are at least vaguely aware that climate change isn’t good for us. Let’s consider the obvious direct health effects, like heat exhaustion and stroke, dehydration, increased inhalation of...
View ArticleThe very worn slur of “neo-Malthusian”
After the rather astounding response to our Ghastly Future paper published in January this year (> 443,000 views and counting; 61 citations and counting), we received a Commentary that was rather...
View ArticleAvoiding a ghastly future — The Science Show
Just thought I’d share the audio of an interview I did with the famous Robyn Williams of ABC Radio National‘s The Science Show. I’d be surprised if any Australians with even a passing interest in...
View ArticleNeed human census data for any of your analyses? Follow these simple steps
As someone who regularly delves into human demography — often from a conservation perspective — I’m always on the lookout for quick and easy ways to get the latest and greatest datasets. Whether it’s...
View ArticleThe sixth mass extinction is happening now, and it doesn’t look good for us
Mounting evidence is pointing to the world having entered a sixth mass extinction. If the current rate of extinction continues we could lose most species by 2200. The implication for human health and...
View ArticleWhy a shrinking human population is a good thing
The other day I was asked to do an interview for a South Korean radio station about the declining-population “crisis”. Therein lies the rub — there is no crisis. While I think the interview went well...
View ArticleKeeping babies alive will lower population growth
We’ve just published a paper in PLOS ONE showing high infant mortality rates are contributing to an incessant rise of the global human population, which supports arguments for greater access to...
View Article
