The History of Being Human HBH 63: Overkill! The Ongoing End of the Megafauna with Dr. Rhys Lemoine
Aug 2, 2025
31:01
Rhys Taylor Lemoine is a postdoctoral researcher in extinction, megafauna, rewilding, and novel ecosystems. Today he speaks to us about the late quaternary extinction.
We discuss what megafauna are, their key roles in ecosystems, and the worldwide number and types that died off during the extinction of the late quaternary period (including the present). Rhys discusses the two main theories about what drove -- and still drives -- these extinctions, overKILL and overCHILL. He then tells us why he and his research team posit that climate change was a lesser factor driving these extinctions.
For Rhys, the extinctions are best explained by the introduction of a novel, insatiable, armed predator. One that could attack the largest and most dangerous animals from a distance with relatively little risk to itself. In other words, humans did it.
One of the evidences he considers is that the extinctions of the late quaternary continue to this day, and the current culprit in large animal extinction is not in dispute.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-history-of-being-human--5806452/support.
We discuss what megafauna are, their key roles in ecosystems, and the worldwide number and types that died off during the extinction of the late quaternary period (including the present). Rhys discusses the two main theories about what drove -- and still drives -- these extinctions, overKILL and overCHILL. He then tells us why he and his research team posit that climate change was a lesser factor driving these extinctions.
For Rhys, the extinctions are best explained by the introduction of a novel, insatiable, armed predator. One that could attack the largest and most dangerous animals from a distance with relatively little risk to itself. In other words, humans did it.
One of the evidences he considers is that the extinctions of the late quaternary continue to this day, and the current culprit in large animal extinction is not in dispute.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-history-of-being-human--5806452/support.