[Silence]
[Instrumental, Guitar, Piano, Organ, Synth, Bass, Percussion, Drums]
[Intro]
[Instrumental Intro: Pulsing Bass, Organ Swell, Muted Guitar Chops, Rising Synth Filter]
[Minimal Beat, Sub Bass, Spoken Vocal]
Paleoclimate
(Meets the primate)
What will be the shape
(Of the hairless ape)
[Instrumental]
[Bass Solo]
[Organ Stabs, Driving Bass, Snare March]
[Verse 1]
Oh, why, why, why
(Deny, deny, deny)
Better if we try
(Not to die)
[Chorus]
Paleoclimate
(Meets the primate)
What will be the shape
(Of the hairless ape)
[Bridge – Breakdown]
[Percussion, Sub Bass, Spoken Vocal]
Bringing on mass extinction
(Termination)
[Instrumental, Saxophone Solo]
[Verse 2]
And, once more
(What about nuclear war)
And, if you please
(Out of control disease)
[Chorus]
Paleoclimate
(Meets the primate)
What will be the shape
(Of the hairless ape)
[Bridge – Breakdown]
[Percussion, Sub Bass, Spoken Vocal]
Bringing on mass extinction
(Termination)
[Outro]
Maybe it’s time you woke
(‘Cause this ain’t no joke)
Bringing on mass extinction
(Our eradication)
ABOUT THE SONG
Paleoclimate evidence shows that during rapid warming events in Earth’s history, approximately 66–80% of species were lost during major mass extinctions. The major difference between past paleoclimatic transitions and today is the presence of human civilization — and the behavioral, technological, and geopolitical dynamics that now influence the system. When we began our research, we assumed a baseline level of cooperation in response to clear scientific evidence. Unfortunately, that assumption has not held.
Continued denial and politicization of climate change — coupled with intensified competition over water, food, and migration — could trigger large-scale conflict, including the potential for nuclear war. Such a collapse of human systems could lead to near-term extinction, even though the climate physics alone do not make that outcome likely.
Research highlights another layer of risk: climate change aggravates infectious disease. Camilo Mora, data analyst and associate professor at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, found that climatic hazards exacerbate 58% of all known human pathogen — over half of the infectious diseases discovered since the end of the Roman Empire. Mora called this “shocking,” emphasizing that movement of humans and animals, as well as milder winters at higher latitudes allowing pathogen survival, are key factors.
In short, while the physical limits of the Earth system constrain the ultimate magnitude of warming, human behavior, social instability, and geopolitical failures could still produce catastrophic outcomes far beyond what climate physics alone would dictate.
From the album “Rewilding“