About this Event
GLOBAL CHANGE AND EXTINCTION IN THE OCEAN: A Paleontological Perspective
with special guest
Dr. Seth Finnegan
You can’t understand where the ocean is going without understanding where it’s been.
For more than half a billion years, the ocean—and the life within it—has changed together. Waters have warmed and cooled. Chemistry, climate, coastlines, and ecosystems have shifted, sometimes gradually and sometimes with startling speed.
Some species vanished. Others persisted through upheaval, extinction, and seas transformed beyond recognition. What’s the secret sauce to survival across deep time—and is there one?
The fossil record holds the clues.
This month at Ocean Hoptimism, we’re taking the long view to discover what Earth’s ancient ocean can teach us about the future of our own.
The good news? Life is remarkably resilient.
That doesn’t mean every species or ecosystem survives every change. Far from it. The fossil record shows us that major environmental shifts can have profound consequences for life in the sea. But it also shows something hopeful: life can adapt, ecosystems can evolve, and the ocean has a tremendous capacity for renewal.
We’re delighted to welcome , Professor of Paleobiology and the Virginia G. and Robert E. Gill Chair in Natural History in UC Berkeley’s Department of Integrative Biology, and Curator at the UC Museum of Paleontology, for an evening exploring Global Change and Extinction in the Ocean: A Paleontological Perspective.
Professor Finnegan and his students study the fossil and geo-chemical record of marine life—from the first multicellular animals more than 500 million years ago to the traces of organisms accumulating in ocean sediments today.
By looking across this extraordinary span of time, they’re uncovering how changes in Earth’s physical environment have shaped marine biodiversity, and what those lessons might mean for the ocean we’re trying to protect today.
Because when we’re trying to imagine the ocean’s future, the past is one of our best guides.
“Life in the ocean is ever-changing, and has survived worse things than us."
—Dr. Seth Finnegan
Join us on Thursday, September 24, at 7:00 p.m. at Faction Brewing in Alameda for an evening of deep time, ocean life, extinction, resilience, and what the fossil record can tell us about the future.
Bring a friend. Bring your curiosity.
The ocean has been writing its story for more than 500 million years. For better or worse, our actions today are shaping what comes next.
Ocean Hoptimism is a free, monthly Bay Area series that spotlights stories of ocean resilience, hope, and action — all served with a side of craft beer and community connection. Hosted in partnership with Faction Brewing in Alameda, Ocean Hoptimism brings together ocean champions, storytellers, and community builders who believe that optimism isn’t just a feeling — it’s a force for change and essential fuel for ocean conservation. Our vision is to build a movement rooted in possibility, resilience, and a shared commitment to a thriving ocean future. Join us every fourth Thursday of the month at Faction Brewing for a new, inspirational Ocean Hoptimism speaker!
www.oceanhoptimism.org
Thursday, September 24, 2026
7:00 - 8:00 PM PDT
Faction Brewing, Alameda, CA
Event venue & nearby stays
Faction Brewing, 2501 Monarch Street, Alameda, United States
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