Book Recommendation: A Natural History of the Future
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What can evolution teach us about preparing us for a radically different future due to climate change?
That’s the central question of A Natural History of the Future, by ecologist and evolutionary biologist Dr. Rob Dunn. And the answer, unsurprisingly, turns out to be a lot. Each chapter walks us through a major insight from decades of research into the ecology and evolution of life on Earth. From the vast migrations to come (human as well as animal and plant) due to rising temperatures, to the probable effects of catastrophic biodiversity losses (spoiler: the rats, crows, and cockroaches will make it), to effects that we can expect in our own bodies thanks to the adaptation of parasites and pests, the author paints striking pictures of challenges for which we are woefully—and perhaps willfully—unprepared.
💡 And yet, there is hope. Touchingly, Dunn also speaks to the mindset shift that follows a true understanding that humans are only one species among a dazzling menagerie under threat, not just today but potentially far into the future.
I was saddened by the image of a post-human Earth … not so much because I think humans are the end-all of evolution. Rather, because that outcome would mean that we not only caused cataclysmic damage to our only home, but we failed to do what was needed to safeguard the future.
💡 We all must face that possible future straight on, and decide how we will contribute to averting it.
As Dunn writes, “Our best bet for extending our stay on this planet is a humbler one: to pay attention to the laws of life and work with them rather than against them.” This book is an excellent introduction to those laws of life, how we have learned about them, and how we can apply them to mitigating and adapting to climate change in the coming years and decades.
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Dr. Tiffany Vora speaks, writes, and advises on how to harness technology to build the best possible future(s). She is an expert in biotech, health, & innovation.
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