Futurity: To adapt to the rapid climate change expected in the next 100 years, many vertebrate species would have to evolve about 10,000 times faster than they have in the past.
Scientists analyzed how quickly species adapted to different climates in the past, using data from 540 living species from all major groups of terrestrial vertebrates, including amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.
They then compared their rates of evolution to rates of climate change projected for the end of this century....