Final answer:
The false statement regarding extinction is that mass extinctions probably won't occur in the future because life has adapted from past events; this overlooks the impact of human activities that are likely to cause more extinctions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The false generalization about extinction is option D, which states that mass extinctions probably won't occur in the future because life has become better adapted due to previous mass extinctions. It is incorrect because the likelihood of future mass extinctions is not diminished by past adaptations of lifeforms, and human-induced factors such as climate change, habitat destruction, and pollution increase the risk of future mass extinctions.
Historically, there have been at least five major mass extinctions found in the fossil record, with each having significant environmental causes, like asteroid impacts or volcanic activity, which led to dramatic losses in biodiversity. Following these mass extinction events, biodiversity oftentimes recovered and increased due to unused resources and available ecological niches. Currently, we are experiencing a sixth mass extinction linked primarily to human activities.
Therefore, the adaptability of lifeforms to past extinctions does not protect against future extinctions, especially when current extinction rates are far above the background rates due to anthropogenic impacts.