Word: speciesism
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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Because more lifeforms than ever before are threatened by extinction, scientists should conduct the first-ever worldwide survey of various species, Baird Professor of Science Edward O. Wilson said in a Science Center speech last night.
"It takes millions of years to make diversity," said Wilson. "Usually we only hear about three of the four horsemen: toxic waste, ozone depletion and climatic warming due to the Greenhouse Effect. But the fourth horseman--species extinction--unlike the first three is truly irreversible."
A noted evolutionary biology expert, Wilson said that scientists have only identified between 5 and 30 percent of the Earth's species, and said a worldwide survey of species is necessary to better understand just how many species are threatened by extinction.
He also said such a survey would provide a good basis for future research. "It is more important to find all the species than to map the human genome," said Wilson.
"There are six species of the plant on Madagascar. Only one has been examined and one other is on the verge of extinction," said Wilson.