Sean Carroll's Mindscape · October 19, 2026 · 1h 25m

371 | Kyle Harper on How Humans Have Shaped Life on Earth

Sean Carroll speaks with historian Kyle Harper about his new book 'The Last Animal,' which traces the immense—and ancient—human footprint on the biosphere, from Ice Age extinctions to subtle ecosystem alterations.

This summary was generated from show notes and public descriptions, not from a full transcript review. Details may contain inaccuracies.

Preview

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Ancient human impact on the biosphere

Harper argues that humans have been reshaping the planet's life since the Ice Age, not just since industrialization.

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Extinctions and subtle modifications

Humanity's ecological footprint includes both dramatic extinction events and gradual, less visible transformations.

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