[Publius6961]

According to a "Red List" compiled by the World Conservation Union, 844 animals and plants are known to have gone extinct in the last 500 years, ranging from the dodo to the Golden Toad in Costa Rica. It says the figures are probably a big underestimate.

Actually, they don't have a clue, but they have a rectal repository that yields endless arbitrary numbers.

80% of all living things which ever lived on earth are now extinct.
How do we know? We find their fossils and remains.

How long has man been in the picture? Perhaps 0.001% of the total period we can find evidence to study.

Fraud in science, affecting billions, should be a capital offense!

[mewzilla]

Fraud in science, affecting billions, should be a capital offense!

Ditto for fear-mongering by the media.

[Smokin' Joe]

...but they have a rectal repository that yields endless arbitrary numbers.

Beautiful phrase. I just might steal it...