The planet-altering ape

This lecture will address how humans became “the planet-altering ape” that is now causing the sixth mass extinction and climate change crises and how we can become “the planet-protecting ape.” The evolutionary lineage leading to humans underwent many defining changes since our last common ancestor with chimpanzees: we became bipedal; exploited diverse ecosystems; evolved into top predators; developed complex tools; tamed fire; and developed our most powerful social tool: language. These traits allowed our species to colonize every ecosystem and produce cumulative culture, which in turn shaped much of our biology. Humans now drive the sixth mass extinction and climate change. Will our capacity for pro-social behavior, empathy, imagination, and behavioral flexibility allow us to find urgently needed solutions for averting these existential crises?