Darya Sinusoid

Darya’s love for reading started with fantasy novels (The LOTR trilogy is still her all-time-favorite). Growing up, however, she found herself transitioning to non-fiction, psychological, and self-help books. She has a degree in Psychology and a deep passion for the subject. She likes reading research-informed books that distill the workings of the human brain/mind/consciousness and thinking of ways to apply the insights to her own life. Some of her favorites include Thinking, Fast and Slow, How We Decide, and The Wisdom of the Enneagram.

Understanding Confirmation Bias Psychology

What is a confirmation bias in psychology? What role does it play in human behavior and decision-making? In cognitive psychology, confirmation bias refers to the tendency to seek and interpret information based on our prior beliefs about it. Confirmation bias saves cognitive resources involved in decision-making, but it can lead to faulty conclusions which can have drastic effects in critical situations. Read about confirmation bias psychology and some examples of how it manifests in decision-making and behavior.

Permian Mass Extinction: A Still-Unexplained Calamity

What caused the Permian mass extinction? How long did it last and how many species did it eliminate? The Permian mass extinction was the most devastating of the Big Five mass extinction events in the history of life on earth, eliminating 96% of the species. Scientists attribute it to the sudden warming of the climate as a result of the increased concentration of carbon in the air. Read about the Permian mass extinction, its causes and effects on the animal kingdom.

The Effects of Ocean Acidification on Marine Life

What are the effects of ocean acidification? What role does an increase in oceanic acidity play in the biodiversity of marine life? The effects of ocean acidification are so destructive that it’s been dubbed the global warming’s “evil twin.” Specifically, ocean acidification is causing an unprecedented reduction in oceanic biodiversity as tehe increased CO2 concentration is affecting the internal processes of the marine microbiome. Keep reading to learn about the destructive effects of ocean acidification on marine life.

The Effects of Global Warming on Animals in the Tropics

What are the effects of global warming on animals in the tropics? Why do researchers project the tropical species to be more affected by climate change than their cold-climate counterparts? Most people think of global warming primarily as a threat to cold-climate species such as polar bears, penguins, and seals. However, the effects of global warming on animals in the tropics are projected to be even more drastic, according to researchers. Keep reading to learn about the effects of global warming on animals in the tropics.

Why Are Coral Reefs Dying? Human Behavior

Why are coral reefs dying? What are the main driving factors behind the projected coral reef extinction, according to scientists? Corals have endured for many geologic epochs, but researchers believe they won’t survive the Anthropocene. Instead, they’re on a course to be the first major ecological system to go extinct. The two main reasons why coral reefs are dying are ocean acidification and climate change. Keep reading to learn why coral reefs are dying.

Species-Area Relationship: The Deadly Curve

What is the species-area relationship? How is it expressed in mathematics? The species-area relationship is the relationship between the area of the species habitat and the number of animal species that inhabit it. In 2004, scientists used the concept, which is expressed mathematically as a curve, to calculate the species extinction risk at different levels of global warming. Keep reading to learn about the species-area relationship.

Theories of Extinction: Natural or Catastrophic?

What are the two major theories of extinction? How do they explain the mass extinctions that have happened on planet Earth? Which theory holds more weight? Theories of extinction can be categorized into two major schools of thought: catastrophism and uniformitarianism. Catastrophists believe extinctions happen as a result of major catastrophes. Uniformitarians, on the other hand, believe in a gradual process of extinction due to evolution. Keep reading to learn about theories of extinction and how they were developed.

Habitat Fragmentation: Effects on Biodiversity

What are the habitat fragmentation effects? How did human-driven fragmentation of the earth’s landmass influence species survival? As humans have reshaped the earth’s landmass, we’ve constrained the ability of other species to survive climate change. There are two main habitat fragmentation effects: 1) species lose the ability to move, and 2) their ability to reproduce declines. Read about the effects of habitat fragmentation.

Mass Extinction Timeline: History of Life on Earth

What marked the start of the mass extinction timeline? How many mass extinction events were there and how did they affect our planet? The mass extinction timeline dates back to the end of the Ordovician period-beginning of the Silurian period. After the Ordovician extinction, there were four more extinction events, the most recent one being the dinosaur extinction 65 million years ago. Here is a brief overview of the mass extinction timeline and the planetary effects of each extinction event.

Species Dispersal Affects Global Biodiversity

What is species dispersal and how does it affect biodiversity? What role did humans play in spreading animal species across continents? Species dispersal is the spreading of the species populations from their birthplace to other locations of breeding. It can be both natural (e.g. dispersing a seed via the wind) or human-caused. The human-driven species dispersal may have started as far back as 120000 years ago. Read about species dispersal and its role in global biodiversity.