About what percentage of all species that have ever lived are now extinct?

About what percentage of all species that have ever lived are now extinct?

Explanation

It is estimated that about 99.9% of all species that have ever existed on Earth are now extinct.


This figure underscores the vast extent of extinction events throughout:

  • Earth's history
  • reflects the dynamic 
  • often unstable nature of life on the planet.


The remaining 0.1% of species are the ones that are still extant today.