Extinction is a familiar idea for almost everyone, but it wasn’t long ago that no one would have thought a species could go out of existence. We explore this history of the human understanding of extinction, and then we go much further back in history, to explore how extinction has played a role in the development of life over hundreds of millions of years leading to our world today.

This is the first episode in a three-part series. 

About the series: Extinction might seem to be a pretty simple idea: a species goes out of existence. But a deeper exploration reveals all kinds of thorny questions. What is a species anyway? Is extinction a natural part of the development of life that leads to new life or is it something that should be mourned and stopped? What will happen to our own species? These are only a few of the questions we follow on a journey of creatures here and gone.

Learn more about the series and about our guests here. 

Theme song and credits music by Breakmaster Cylinder. Other music in this episode by Evan MacDonald, High Street Music, Northern Points, Nathan King, Babel, Ballian De Moulle, Paradiso Music, courtesy of Shutterstock, Inc.