The following text is a summary of a lesson I conducted in a high school class, enriched with some documents gathered during its preparation. Given the interest sparked by this topic, which is certainly inadequate to fully address the complex issues it covers, I have added some updated bibliographic references to open new dialogues on the changes occurring in ecosystems, particularly those driven by human activities.

I chose to approach the subject without resorting to the strong and catastrophic tones often found in the media: those seeking confirmation of the end of the world and the rapid extinction of the human species may find this unsatisfactory. The approach aims to be balanced, systematically considering the sometimes contradictory findings emerging from the scientific community. It also highlights the issues of communication and perception, offering reflections on the relationship between scientific research and mass media.

Zone d’ombra, crisi e conflitti sono realtà che viviamo costantemente attraverso i giornali, la radio o la televisione: il mondo di oggi, malgrado gli indubbi progressi registrati in numerosi ambiti, presenta ancora diversi lati oscuri.