The Lost World Study Guide

The narrator reflects on the history of the modern scientific debate over the subject of extinction. In 1786, Baron Georges Cuvier first demonstrated that species became extinct. When Darwin set forth his theory of evolution many years later, there was very little debate. Scientists simply saw extinction as the failure of a species to adapt. However, in the 1970s, as mankind's technological prowess advanced at an alarming rate, scientists began to wonder if humanity's behavior could ultimately lead to extinction. Scientists began to study the extinction of previous species, looking for answers. (read more)