Many Writers In History Have Written Science Fiction Novels

Many writers in history have written science fiction novels and had great success with them, but only a few have been as enduring over time as Kurt Vonnegut s Slaughterhouse-Five. Slaughterhouse-Five is a personal novel which draws upon Vonnegut s experience s as a scout in World War Two, his capture and becoming a prisoner of war, and his witnessing of the fire-bombing of Dresden in February of 1945 (the greatest man-caused massacre in history). The novel is about the life and times of a World War Two veteran named Billy Pilgrim. In Slaughterhouse-Five, Kurt Vonnegut uses structure and point of view to portray the theme that time is relative. The way Kurt Vonnegut structures Slaughterhouse-Five aids in the portrayal of the theme that†¦show more content†¦While on Tralfamadore, Billy learns to accept his life as it is dealt to him because nothing that happens to you damages you forever. Since time is relative, and your life is like a mountain range, your death, birth, and al l the events in between are nothing more than peaks in a range of mountains, irremovable and able to be visited numerous times. The point of view that Slaughterhouse-Five is written from also affects the way the reader fells about time after reading the novel. Since the story is narrated by an omniscient being that is everywhere with Billy Pilgrim, the reader gets a first-hand account of every event in his life. Also, Billy is very relaxed and accepting all things around him. A good example of this is Billy s habit of following every death with so it goes. (Vonnegut 69) The repetition of this phrase not only de-emphasizes death, but also helps Vonnegut assert control over the reader’s response after a death. (Dawley 2) The way Billy describes the war as if it is still going also directly relates to his repetition of so it goes† and his acceptance of the relativity of time. After seeing the clean-shaven Americans at the camp, Billy realized how young they were and was sh ocked, saying,† My God, it s the Children s Crusade!Show MoreRelatedA Very Short Story By David Seed1476 Words   |  6 PagesScience Fiction has proven to be a difficult term to define, but has become one of the most popular genres of all time. We see science fiction in films, poetry, literature and in the imagination of every child. In the novel, A Very Short Introduction by David Seed, he discusses in six chapters the unconventional genre known as science fiction.   The In the Novel, A Very Short Story By David Seed, he   includes topics such as science and technology, space, aliens, utopias, gender, and its relation toRead More Isaac Asimov, Mind of a Child Essay1102 Words   |  5 Pagesnbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Throughout history man has always had a vivid imagination. In prehistoric times, old man used to write stories, tales and such upon their cave dwelling walls. These were performed through the use of symbols. These symbols, called hieroglyphics, portrayed the thoughts and creativity of their authors. Boszhardt once said while talking about the cave pictures in Wisconsin, quot;When I first visited the cave, I was skeptical about the possible art that Daniel had written to me about, But onceRead MoreTime Travel : Or Apocalyptic?1579 Words   |  7 PagesTime Travel: or Apocalyptic: Science Fiction We have discussed, over the semester, several different common themes of science fiction. But there are three common themes of science fiction that stick out the most when reading the novel, The Transall Saga by Gary Paulsen, which would be extreme environmental changes, time traveling, and post-apocalyptic situations. The bluish-white light that transport Mark through time, thousands of years into the future and the way the people look with their webbedRead MoreThe Life of a Writer: Ray Robinson Have you ever asked yourself how authors become writers? How900 Words   |  4 PagesThe Life of a Writer: Ray Robinson Have you ever asked yourself how authors become writers? How are they inspired, or why do they write? I know I have, and being an author, coming up with all this different novels, and stories isn’t easy. In order to be creative and to write something good, I think you have to have an amazing brain to come up with such amazing stories like Ray Bradbury did. For example Bradbury was an amazing writer, and a person who was successful in life; his incredible fantasyRead MoreH. G. Wells was a Famous English Author of Science-fiction Novels1501 Words   |  6 PagesWells, H. G. (1866-1946), was a famous English novelist, historian, science writer, and author of science-fiction stories. Wellss novel Tono-Bungay (1909) best reveals his varied talents. The novel, a story of the dishonest promotion of a patent medicine, contains social criticism tinged with satire. In it, Wells described trips in airplanes and submarines at a time when such journeys seemed like science fiction. Herbert George Wells was born on Sept. 21, 1866, in Bromley, Kent (now part of London)Read MoreEssay on H.G. Wells: The Odd man Who Shaped a Genre1181 Words   |  5 PagesWells: The Odd Man Who Shaped a Genre Herbert George (H.G.) Wells was a man of many passions both strange and ordinary, but despite his eccentricities, he impacted science fiction and fantasy in a profound and noticeable way. As a man who bridged the entertainment gap between the upper and lower classes that existed at the time, H.G. Wells books felt right at home from the 1890’s clear through the Lost Generation (British Writers, Vol. 6, 226). Fantastical plots and relatable language aside, he was alsoRead MoreEssay about Thematic Elements of the Time Machine1137 Words   |  5 Pagesand increase our intelligence.† This quote comes from a novel that inspired the genre of science fiction. The Time Machine was the first work of fiction written by H.G Wells. This novel inspired not one Wells himself to explore new possibilities in science fiction, but a generation of science fiction writers. The themes of science, evolution, progress and of class struggle are the main elements Wells explores in his ground breaking novel. One of the largest themes present in the Time Machine isRead MoreThe Killer Angels By Michael Shaara1634 Words   |  7 PagesPulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Shaara, the author of The Killer Angels, was born on June 23, 1928 in Jersey City, New Jersey. He was an author of science fiction, sports fiction, and historical fiction. Although writing was his passion, Shaara was very athletically successful in high school, winning more awards than any other student in the history of the school for sports such as basketball, track and baseball. He acquired a skill in boxing, and of the 18 matches Shaara fought as a young man,Read MoreRay Bradbury s Writing Is Loved By Many, And Read By Students And Teachers Across The Globe1426 Words   |  6 Pagesin the world today. Famous for his science fiction novels and short stories Ray Bradbury’s writing is loved by many, and read by students and teachers across the globe. Ray Bradbury was an american author. Born on august twenty seco nd of nineteen twenty bradbury lived through many of the most important events in modern history. Bradbury recently died on the date of june fifth of two thousand twelve leaving behind his best literature. Though Bradbury wrote many famous pieces of literature includingRead MoreEssay on Coping Mechanisms in Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five1679 Words   |  7 Pagesaffected by the aftermath of the Dresden bombing, and the Tralfamadorians as the aliens who provide an easy solution to Billy. It is simpler to avoid something as tragic as death, but Vonnegut stresses the importance of confronting it. Vonnegut, like many artists, expresses his ideas through his creations. The significance of art is not confined to helping and inspiring the general public; the process of creating art also becomes another form of coping mechanism for artists. In Slaughterhouse-Five

Chin The Great Weight Essay - 895 Words

Americans did not have any reason in that era observation Chi Jinping, but his superiors at work noticed the potential and during the period of Monday and thirty years later so Shi shares rose with the growing economic and military power of China. The ascent to the top of the pyramid of power means the retirement of the previous generation of leaders, who have been nominated by Deng Xiaoping (although retaining influence). Although China is the great weight in international affairs, the Chi faces internal pressures that make China more fragile than what is customary. Although China is the great weight in international affairs, the Chi faces internal pressures that make China more fragile than what is customary. The Chinese economic model, which depends on export has reached its limit and the transition to growth based on the Chinese home increases the internal differences. The unrest management through repression has become more difficult than in the past as the rapid urbanization and economic reforms and social change may disrupt turbid country with a population of 1.3 billion people. The ethnic conflicts in remote areas will be a litmus test for political control of qi and governed by the reins. China s foreign policy is worrisome as well, especially for the United States of America. History teaches us that rising powers are competing in the end with the great powers on the ground and that this conflict often leads to war. Currently, the imbalance in bilateral tradeShow MoreRelatedTraining Equipment For Fitness And Strength Training1488 Words   |  6 Pagesto assist in achieving your health and fitness goals. There are the common pieces such as wrist wraps, Swiss ball and captains of crush. 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Title Anaylsis Painted Door Free Essays

Title Sharon Sarai Block 4 In the story â€Å"The Painted Door† by Sinclair Ross the title is significant. The title is symbolic, it ties into the plot, and it sums up the main event. When Ann says, â€Å" ‘†¦It’s going to make the room a lot lighter’ † she is talking about brightening the bedroom door (49). We will write a custom essay sample on Title Anaylsis Painted Door or any similar topic only for you Order Now We paint to bring change and improve upon an old appearance, it is clear that that is what Ann is trying to accomplish with not only her bedroom door, but her life as well. She thinks that she is embarking on a new adventure by bringing change into her home and painting the door white, but in reality she is just beginning a new adventure behind the door. The title also ties into plot and sums up the main event because the painted door is a very significant part of the story. If Ann had chosen not to paint her bedroom door she would have never known John made it home, because John would have never had the paint marked on him. Ann would have thought that John had just collapsed on his way home but the suspicion of suicide is confirmed after she finds the white paint on his palm, â€Å"On the palm, white even against its frozen whiteness, was a little smear of paint† (67). It could be by chance that a smear of paint coated John’s palm or it could be a way of allowing Ann to know that his death was no accident. The title of the story â€Å"The Painted Door† is symbolic, and relevant to the plot and main event of the story. How to cite Title Anaylsis Painted Door, Papers

The Sixth Mass Extinction free essay sample

The Sixth Mass Extinction BY xnna120104 The mass extinction of certain animal species and plants that is facing the Earth today has been compared to, although some scientists suspect worse than, the extinction of the dinosaurs. The annihilation of the dinosaurs was caused by the collision ofa large asteroid with the Earth. This current mass extinction, however, is different than any of the five mass extinctions that have been seen by the earth because this extinction is manmade, not natural. With the search for new resources to support mans ever-growing population and new resources to develop medicines, he habitat that has protected so many of the worlds creatures is now being destroyed. Not only are humans destroying the earths biodiversity but also what most humans fail to realize is with this extinction life, as humans know it will forever be changed. (Cooper) The earth has witnessed five other mass extinctions. We will write a custom essay sample on The Sixth Mass Extinction or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The first extinction was the Ordovician, 440 million years ago, which is speculated to have been caused by glaciations. This caused the destruction of 25 percent of the animal species and plants. The second extinction was the Devonian, 370 million years ago. This caused the demise of about 70 percent of the plant and animal species. This was probably caused by a climate change. The third extinction was the Permian, 250 million years ago. The most catastrophic of all mass extinctions may have wiped out 96 percent of all marine species and more than three-fourths of the vertebrate families on land. Scientists speculate that the cause may have been volcanic activity, a change in ocean salinity or climate shifts. (Cooper) The forth extinction was the Triassic, 210 million years ago, the cause of which is unknown. It caused the xtinction of sponges, insects, and vertebrate groups. (Cooper) The final extinction was the Cretaceous, 65 million years ago. This caused the extinction of the dinosaurs and 85 percent of all the species. A large asteroid hitting the earth on the Yucatan in Mexico caused this. (Cooper) The introduction of animals not indigenous to the environments that they are brought to drives the native animals to extinction. For example, when rats, cats and snakes were brought to Hawaii and Guam they drove away and hunted most of the indigenous birds to those islands. Also, Just as Christopher Columbus and his men introduced small pox to the Aztecs, foreign animals introduce different diseases to animals whose immune systems are not designed to fght them resulting death. The over hunting of the dodo bird was one of the two reasons why they became extinct. The second was the introduction of pigs into the dodo birds environment. Although the pigs did not transfer any diseases to the dodo birds, they contributed by consuming all the birds offspring, eggs (Cooper). With climate change and pollution growing rapidly, a lot of animals are choosing to migrate out of their natural environment and onto more suitable nvironments (Cooper). The polar bear is an excellent example of this. Throughout history it has been observed continuously that polar bears spend a majority of their lifetime onto of glacial masses, such as ice bergs. With recent climate changes due to global warming, the ice has begun to wither away, causing the polar bears to move onto more stable environments (Rice). It was not until recently the severity of the hunt for ringed and bearded seals, their main food source. The ice is a platform to hunt seals, and if they dont have that platform they are in big trouble, says Ian Stirling, research scientist emeritus at Environment Canada in Edmonton. The bears are poor swimmers, and in the open water seals can easily evade them. (Adler). The over-use of greenhouse gases is the primary cause of global warming. Although, greenhouse gases do occur naturally and have been being released for millions of years, with the dawn of the industrial revolutions these gases became mass produced and over used. The invention of automobiles brought about a new standard of living in America. Cars were mass produced and with that an increased emissions began to seep into the atmosphere and wither away the ozone. During the 70s and 80s, teasing ones hair became ridiculously popular, which resulted in the overuse of hairspray. The use of this product is only one of dozens of examples as to why greenhouse gases got so out of hand and resulted in a drastic climate shift known as, global warming (Lerner). Another loss to global warming is about twenty frog species in Costa Rica. This makes about 45 perecnt of the frog population (Cooper). This disappearance coincided with a sudden reduction in moisture levels on the continental divide atop Monteverde in Costa Ricas central highlands. (Cooper) Hunting and over fishing is another cause for this mass extinction. Poachers hunt for the most rare of animals despite the risk of imprisonment solely because the price they are paid for these goods can reach into the millions. We all grew up with Tony the Tiger telling us how grrrr-eat! Frosted Flakes are but in reality tigers are being hunted for their skin, bones, and body parts. The giant pandas population is 1,000 because of the demand for them in oversea zoos. In an effort to save the panda population the Chinese government has a plan to clone the giant pandas. The Sumatran rhinoceros population is under 300 because of its use in traditional medicine. The other seven of the top ten most endangered species are the hawksbill sea turtles, the Asian ginseng, the Asian box turtles, the Tibetan antelope, the horned parakeets, the whale sharks and the Javan pangolins. The hunting for sport brought about the extinction of the passenger pigeon, which once held a population in the billions. In 1914, the last known passenger pigeon died. Her name was Martha (Cooper). The black-footed ferret faced extinction in the 1970s. These furry creatures are native to South Dakota and Wyoming. When their prey of choice, the black tailed prairie dog, was nearing extinction, they were headed in the same direction. Scientists thought they had gone extinct in 1979, but when one was found dead in 1981, they were proved wrong. They ended up finding a colony of 130. The scientists took them into captivity and went on to breed around two thousand of the black footed ferrets. The scientists have reintroduced small groups of them back into their native environment. Scientists are somewhat reluctant to release more ferrets into the wild sadly because their favorite prey, the black-tailed rairie dog occupies less than one percent of what they previously did. Although the black footed ferret is still considered an endangered species they are in better shape today than they have been in nearly fifty years! (Cooper) The business community is reluctant to support government regulations that restrict development to protect plants and creatures that seem to have little significance. That was protested plans to set aside forests that were habitat to the rare northern spotted owl. (Cooper) Their argument was that they refuse to spend tens of billions of ollars to protect something that holds very little profit to man because it would be cheaper and way easier to develop on an important habitat than it would be to work around it (Cooper). [Peter H. ] Raven, who is director of the Missouri Botanical Garden and a leading advocate for protecting biodiversity , warns that the same pattern is being repeated around the globe, threatening to impoverish human society on a vast scale because scientists constantly turn to nature to develop new foods, medicines and other products. (Cooper) According to Raven, there are three reasons s to why major world leaders need to contribute there all into the preservation of endangered species and ecosystems. His reasoning states are that these species (i. e. plants and animals) provide humans with their basic necessities (i. e. food, clothing, shelter and medicine) (Cooper); the stability of ecosystems depends on the abundance of its native plant and animal life, without which the order that ecosystem relies on would be disrupted and cease to exist; and lastly, it is the responsibility of humans having caused this destruction to fix it. The counter-argument to these easons is that all species are meant to live and die and evolve. The disruption of this balance by trying to preserve these endangered species is unnatural and a waste of money and resources. After all, because of past extinctions humans evolved into what they are today (Cooper). Scientists are now trying a different approach to try and save many of the animals nearing extinction. They are even trying to reproduce some creatures that have been extinct for hundreds of years through the use of cloning. Many people have mixed feelings on whether this approach is ethically and morally correct. Even if scientists were successful in their efforts, the natural environment of these creature may be long since gone. Another effort many zoos are taking is using invitro-fertilization and hormone injections in order to increase the population of some endangered species, such as the giant panda. This is ironic because the demand for the giant pandas as attractions in said zoos is one of the major reasons they are now in danger of extinction. Because of these expensive procedures, a few rare animals have pulled a 180 and come back from nearing extinction, such as the American condor and the black-footed erret (Cooper). The Endangered Species Act of 1973 was passed in the United States on December 28, 1973. The ESAs primary responsibility is to prevent the further extinction of endangered animal and plant species. Its second priority is to restore and conserve those species by preserving their natural habitat and or removing any threats causing their extinction. (Cooper) Since its passage, more than 1,200 species in the United States have been listed as either endangered or threatened. Of that number, Just 11 species have recovered sufficiently to be taken ff the list; nine were removed because of improved data, such as the discovery of additional populations; and seven have become extinct (Cooper) The bald eagle is one of the ESAs success stories, having been removed from the endangered species list on August 8, 2007. It was once near extinction with its population being less than 500 in the 1960s. In 2007, their population was nearly 10,000. Through the ESAs regulations, the use of pesticides was significantly reduced. These pesticides, mainly advance among the bald eagles. Although the bald eagle has been removed from the EASs endangered species list, they are still preserved by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and also the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. (Martin) Some think that environmentalists are going to far to achieve their primary goal. The law itself was originally passed to save important animals, but environmentalists state that it is important to try to save all living species in order to preserve its ecosystem in its entirity. There is no way having predicting how the extinction of a fly may affect its native ecosystem. Because of this reasoning some property owners, on whose land esides an endangered specie or plant, are restricted from further construction. This at times backfires and property owners do the opposite of what they are told to do, they demolish the home of the said specie. (Cooper) As hard as the ESA tries to preserve rare animals and the habitats they reside in the ESA, as showed in the previous example, is not always successful. In the 1970s the ESA attempted to stop the construction of a dam on the Little Tennessee River because it was the natural habitat of the snail darter trout. The attempt held off the construction but did not stop it. Cost) The leading critics of the EAS in the United States are housing and shopping mall developers. Energy companies want to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas drilling despite the concerns that a move like that could damage the native populations of caribou and other animals. Business leaders state that the best preservation strategy is to keep the economy growing so the country will have enough money to support a clean environment. Despite the tensions between business and environmentalism, they remain allies. Businesses will support conservation efforts because they wish to appear to be the good guys. Negative environmental practices reflect badly and do not go unnoticed. (Cooper) When the golden-cheeked warbler migrates to Texas they nest in its Juniper trees. Because the property owners did not want to be put on the ESAs list of critical habitats they decided to demolish them. (Cooper) With this in mind a collaboration of conservation groups, developers, and government officials Cost) have found a way to compromise, the Balcones Canyonland Conservation Plan. They have made a plan to build 60,000 of Juniper trees so that the golden-cheeked warbler is able to breed without getting in the way of development. Cost) Satellite mapping technologies are now being used to help preserve the important habitats of endangered species. Government agencies and environmental groups are making attempt to compromise by using satellite mapping technologies to locate certain rare animals and plants and steer construction away from a needed habitat without restricting development. Their ultimate goal is to create minimal impact of developmental growth on important habitats (Cooper). Homo sapiens assume that they are immune to this extinction, however, that is false. With the depletion and extinction of rare animals, plants and inerals the human race will have to alter their way of living. A lot of traditional medicines come from endangered animals and with the extinction of these animals goes these precious medicines. The United States consumes more resources than virtually any other country. The result of the loss of these resources will change everything from food supplies to medical breakthroughs to the weather (Cooper). Global warming continues to be a growing threat to the environment. It has already continued use of harmful chemicals and the overuse of cars. If a drastic change is ot made to societys current lifestyle, the consequences will completely alter humans way of life (Lerner). Man views himself as ruler of this world and thinks that he knows how to best rule his land, because of this ignorance and overuse of the earths resources, the world is currently facing a mass extinction. The likes of which have never been seen before. Because the ever-growing population the earth may not be able to sustain it. The loss of biodiversity could negatively affect the well-being of civilization because it may become harder to grow crops and develop new medicines or even our traditional medicines.

The Sixth Mass Extinction free essay sample

The Sixth Mass Extinction BY xnna120104 The mass extinction of certain animal species and plants that is facing the Earth today has been compared to, although some scientists suspect worse than, the extinction of the dinosaurs. The annihilation of the dinosaurs was caused by the collision ofa large asteroid with the Earth. This current mass extinction, however, is different than any of the five mass extinctions that have been seen by the earth because this extinction is manmade, not natural. With the search for new resources to support mans ever-growing population and new resources to develop medicines, he habitat that has protected so many of the worlds creatures is now being destroyed. Not only are humans destroying the earths biodiversity but also what most humans fail to realize is with this extinction life, as humans know it will forever be changed. (Cooper) The earth has witnessed five other mass extinctions. We will write a custom essay sample on The Sixth Mass Extinction or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The first extinction was the Ordovician, 440 million years ago, which is speculated to have been caused by glaciations. This caused the destruction of 25 percent of the animal species and plants. The second extinction was the Devonian, 370 million years ago. This caused the demise of about 70 percent of the plant and animal species. This was probably caused by a climate change. The third extinction was the Permian, 250 million years ago. The most catastrophic of all mass extinctions may have wiped out 96 percent of all marine species and more than three-fourths of the vertebrate families on land. Scientists speculate that the cause may have been volcanic activity, a change in ocean salinity or climate shifts. (Cooper) The forth extinction was the Triassic, 210 million years ago, the cause of which is unknown. It caused the xtinction of sponges, insects, and vertebrate groups. (Cooper) The final extinction was the Cretaceous, 65 million years ago. This caused the extinction of the dinosaurs and 85 percent of all the species. A large asteroid hitting the earth on the Yucatan in Mexico caused this. (Cooper) The introduction of animals not indigenous to the environments that they are brought to drives the native animals to extinction. For example, when rats, cats and snakes were brought to Hawaii and Guam they drove away and hunted most of the indigenous birds to those islands. Also, Just as Christopher Columbus and his men introduced small pox to the Aztecs, foreign animals introduce different diseases to animals whose immune systems are not designed to fght them resulting death. The over hunting of the dodo bird was one of the two reasons why they became extinct. The second was the introduction of pigs into the dodo birds environment. Although the pigs did not transfer any diseases to the dodo birds, they contributed by consuming all the birds offspring, eggs (Cooper). With climate change and pollution growing rapidly, a lot of animals are choosing to migrate out of their natural environment and onto more suitable nvironments (Cooper). The polar bear is an excellent example of this. Throughout history it has been observed continuously that polar bears spend a majority of their lifetime onto of glacial masses, such as ice bergs. With recent climate changes due to global warming, the ice has begun to wither away, causing the polar bears to move onto more stable environments (Rice). It was not until recently the severity of the hunt for ringed and bearded seals, their main food source. The ice is a platform to hunt seals, and if they dont have that platform they are in big trouble, says Ian Stirling, research scientist emeritus at Environment Canada in Edmonton. The bears are poor swimmers, and in the open water seals can easily evade them. (Adler). The over-use of greenhouse gases is the primary cause of global warming. Although, greenhouse gases do occur naturally and have been being released for millions of years, with the dawn of the industrial revolutions these gases became mass produced and over used. The invention of automobiles brought about a new standard of living in America. Cars were mass produced and with that an increased emissions began to seep into the atmosphere and wither away the ozone. During the 70s and 80s, teasing ones hair became ridiculously popular, which resulted in the overuse of hairspray. The use of this product is only one of dozens of examples as to why greenhouse gases got so out of hand and resulted in a drastic climate shift known as, global warming (Lerner). Another loss to global warming is about twenty frog species in Costa Rica. This makes about 45 perecnt of the frog population (Cooper). This disappearance coincided with a sudden reduction in moisture levels on the continental divide atop Monteverde in Costa Ricas central highlands. (Cooper) Hunting and over fishing is another cause for this mass extinction. Poachers hunt for the most rare of animals despite the risk of imprisonment solely because the price they are paid for these goods can reach into the millions. We all grew up with Tony the Tiger telling us how grrrr-eat! Frosted Flakes are but in reality tigers are being hunted for their skin, bones, and body parts. The giant pandas population is 1,000 because of the demand for them in oversea zoos. In an effort to save the panda population the Chinese government has a plan to clone the giant pandas. The Sumatran rhinoceros population is under 300 because of its use in traditional medicine. The other seven of the top ten most endangered species are the hawksbill sea turtles, the Asian ginseng, the Asian box turtles, the Tibetan antelope, the horned parakeets, the whale sharks and the Javan pangolins. The hunting for sport brought about the extinction of the passenger pigeon, which once held a population in the billions. In 1914, the last known passenger pigeon died. Her name was Martha (Cooper). The black-footed ferret faced extinction in the 1970s. These furry creatures are native to South Dakota and Wyoming. When their prey of choice, the black tailed prairie dog, was nearing extinction, they were headed in the same direction. Scientists thought they had gone extinct in 1979, but when one was found dead in 1981, they were proved wrong. They ended up finding a colony of 130. The scientists took them into captivity and went on to breed around two thousand of the black footed ferrets. The scientists have reintroduced small groups of them back into their native environment. Scientists are somewhat reluctant to release more ferrets into the wild sadly because their favorite prey, the black-tailed rairie dog occupies less than one percent of what they previously did. Although the black footed ferret is still considered an endangered species they are in better shape today than they have been in nearly fifty years! (Cooper) The business community is reluctant to support government regulations that restrict development to protect plants and creatures that seem to have little significance. That was protested plans to set aside forests that were habitat to the rare northern spotted owl. (Cooper) Their argument was that they refuse to spend tens of billions of ollars to protect something that holds very little profit to man because it would be cheaper and way easier to develop on an important habitat than it would be to work around it (Cooper). [Peter H. ] Raven, who is director of the Missouri Botanical Garden and a leading advocate for protecting biodiversity , warns that the same pattern is being repeated around the globe, threatening to impoverish human society on a vast scale because scientists constantly turn to nature to develop new foods, medicines and other products. (Cooper) According to Raven, there are three reasons s to why major world leaders need to contribute there all into the preservation of endangered species and ecosystems. His reasoning states are that these species (i. e. plants and animals) provide humans with their basic necessities (i. e. food, clothing, shelter and medicine) (Cooper); the stability of ecosystems depends on the abundance of its native plant and animal life, without which the order that ecosystem relies on would be disrupted and cease to exist; and lastly, it is the responsibility of humans having caused this destruction to fix it. The counter-argument to these easons is that all species are meant to live and die and evolve. The disruption of this balance by trying to preserve these endangered species is unnatural and a waste of money and resources. After all, because of past extinctions humans evolved into what they are today (Cooper). Scientists are now trying a different approach to try and save many of the animals nearing extinction. They are even trying to reproduce some creatures that have been extinct for hundreds of years through the use of cloning. Many people have mixed feelings on whether this approach is ethically and morally correct. Even if scientists were successful in their efforts, the natural environment of these creature may be long since gone. Another effort many zoos are taking is using invitro-fertilization and hormone injections in order to increase the population of some endangered species, such as the giant panda. This is ironic because the demand for the giant pandas as attractions in said zoos is one of the major reasons they are now in danger of extinction. Because of these expensive procedures, a few rare animals have pulled a 180 and come back from nearing extinction, such as the American condor and the black-footed erret (Cooper). The Endangered Species Act of 1973 was passed in the United States on December 28, 1973. The ESAs primary responsibility is to prevent the further extinction of endangered animal and plant species. Its second priority is to restore and conserve those species by preserving their natural habitat and or removing any threats causing their extinction. (Cooper) Since its passage, more than 1,200 species in the United States have been listed as either endangered or threatened. Of that number, Just 11 species have recovered sufficiently to be taken ff the list; nine were removed because of improved data, such as the discovery of additional populations; and seven have become extinct (Cooper) The bald eagle is one of the ESAs success stories, having been removed from the endangered species list on August 8, 2007. It was once near extinction with its population being less than 500 in the 1960s. In 2007, their population was nearly 10,000. Through the ESAs regulations, the use of pesticides was significantly reduced. These pesticides, mainly advance among the bald eagles. Although the bald eagle has been removed from the EASs endangered species list, they are still preserved by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and also the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. (Martin) Some think that environmentalists are going to far to achieve their primary goal. The law itself was originally passed to save important animals, but environmentalists state that it is important to try to save all living species in order to preserve its ecosystem in its entirity. There is no way having predicting how the extinction of a fly may affect its native ecosystem. Because of this reasoning some property owners, on whose land esides an endangered specie or plant, are restricted from further construction. This at times backfires and property owners do the opposite of what they are told to do, they demolish the home of the said specie. (Cooper) As hard as the ESA tries to preserve rare animals and the habitats they reside in the ESA, as showed in the previous example, is not always successful. In the 1970s the ESA attempted to stop the construction of a dam on the Little Tennessee River because it was the natural habitat of the snail darter trout. The attempt held off the construction but did not stop it. Cost) The leading critics of the EAS in the United States are housing and shopping mall developers. Energy companies want to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas drilling despite the concerns that a move like that could damage the native populations of caribou and other animals. Business leaders state that the best preservation strategy is to keep the economy growing so the country will have enough money to support a clean environment. Despite the tensions between business and environmentalism, they remain allies. Businesses will support conservation efforts because they wish to appear to be the good guys. Negative environmental practices reflect badly and do not go unnoticed. (Cooper) When the golden-cheeked warbler migrates to Texas they nest in its Juniper trees. Because the property owners did not want to be put on the ESAs list of critical habitats they decided to demolish them. (Cooper) With this in mind a collaboration of conservation groups, developers, and government officials Cost) have found a way to compromise, the Balcones Canyonland Conservation Plan. They have made a plan to build 60,000 of Juniper trees so that the golden-cheeked warbler is able to breed without getting in the way of development. Cost) Satellite mapping technologies are now being used to help preserve the important habitats of endangered species. Government agencies and environmental groups are making attempt to compromise by using satellite mapping technologies to locate certain rare animals and plants and steer construction away from a needed habitat without restricting development. Their ultimate goal is to create minimal impact of developmental growth on important habitats (Cooper). Homo sapiens assume that they are immune to this extinction, however, that is false. With the depletion and extinction of rare animals, plants and inerals the human race will have to alter their way of living. A lot of traditional medicines come from endangered animals and with the extinction of these animals goes these precious medicines. The United States consumes more resources than virtually any other country. The result of the loss of these resources will change everything from food supplies to medical breakthroughs to the weather (Cooper). Global warming continues to be a growing threat to the environment. It has already continued use of harmful chemicals and the overuse of cars. If a drastic change is ot made to societys current lifestyle, the consequences will completely alter humans way of life (Lerner). Man views himself as ruler of this world and thinks that he knows how to best rule his land, because of this ignorance and overuse of the earths resources, the world is currently facing a mass extinction. The likes of which have never been seen before. Because the ever-growing population the earth may not be able to sustain it. The loss of biodiversity could negatively affect the well-being of civilization because it may become harder to grow crops and develop new medicines or even our traditional medicines.