For years, we’ve been told that Earth is plunging into a sixth mass extinction — that species are disappearing faster than ever before. But what if that story is more complicated than we think?

In this episode of The Environmental Review Podcast, we’re joined by Kristen Saban and Professor John Wiens from the University of Arizona to unpack a surprising new study that challenges one of the most widely accepted narratives in conservation science. By analysing 500 years of extinction data across nearly two million species, their research suggests that extinction rates actually peaked around a century ago and have declined since — even though biodiversity loss remains a serious global threat.

We discuss what past extinctions can — and can’t — tell us about the future, why islands and continents face very different risks, and how conservation efforts may be quietly working.