Word: rate
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...million years ago, in which 70% of all terrestrial species were wiped out, probably because of an asteroid impact or a similar natural disaster - this time human beings are the cause. Hard numbers are difficult to find, but many scientists believe Earth's species are going extinct at a rate that is up to 1,000 times higher than before human beings came on the scene. (See how animals are under siege...
Meanwhile, human beings have also been working to counteract the effects of their development and growth as well as man-made climate change. Measures like the U.S. Endangered Species Act, habitat-protecting nature reserves and hunting prohibitions are all designed to slow the rate of extinction and preserve dwindling species. But a new paper in the journal Biological Conservation says we may not be trying hard enough. A team of Australian researchers led by environmental scientist Lochran Traill finds that current conservation policy tends to underestimate the number of individuals needed in a population of endangered species to keep...
Nearly 13 million babies worldwide are born prematurely each year--10% of total births--and a million die as a result, according to a March of Dimes report. Using World Health Organization data, the group found that 85% of premature births occur in Africa and Asia. The U.S. preterm rate, meanwhile, has jumped 36% in the past 25 years...
...cool today. "It's time to become an obsessive saver," says Dave Ramsey, author of The Total Money Makeover. Start looking at what you spend on cars, travel, cable and phone services. You may be able to save hundreds of dollars a month right there. Refinance the mortgage while rates are still low. Use any new savings to pay down your highest-rate credit cards first. An alternative approach is to target your smallest debts first in order to experience success and build momentum to pay off larger loans. Once you've paid off a debt, apply the full monthly...
...opportunistic. The recession has an upside. A lot of things you'll need in coming years are cheap right now - like cars and houses and fixed-rate mortgages. Take advantage now to save money in the future. Improve your credit score by reducing your card balances to 10% of available credit. This will shave future borrowing costs. If you're under 50, you have a lot of time to recover, so contribute enough money to get the full match in your 401(k). If you're 50 to 65, take advantage of the catch-up provision that lets you stash...