Around 252 million years ago, volcanoes across what is now Siberia erupted repeatedly for more than a million years, releasing perhaps 100,000 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide and helping wipe out roughly 90 per cent of marine species in the deadliest mas
Researchers have identified metabolic vulnerability and volcanic activity as the primary drivers of Earth's deadliest mass extinction.
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The brief
Approximately 252 million years ago, repeated volcanic eruptions across present-day Siberia lasted for over a million years. These events released an estimated 100,000 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide, contributing to the loss of roughly 90 per cent of marine species.
Coverage from ScienceDaily, Space Daily, and the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability emphasizes that the mystery of this extinction has been solved. Open Access Government reports that metabolic vulnerability has been confirmed as the cause, while The Economic Times notes that signs of this 'Great Dying' are being detected in modern oceans.
Future attention is directed toward the warming seas that initiated the Great Dying and how those signs manifest in today's oceans.
Synthesized by Newsylist from the headlines below under a strict no-invention contract. ✓ fact-checked: all claims supported by sources Updated 4h ago.
Quick answers
What caused the deadliest mass extinction on Earth?
The extinction was driven by metabolic vulnerability and repeated volcanic eruptions in Siberia that released approximately 100,000 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide.
How many marine species were lost during this event?
Roughly 90 per cent of marine species were wiped out.
When did these volcanic eruptions occur?
The eruptions took place around 252 million years ago and continued for more than a million years.
Coverage (5)
- Scientists detect Earth's deadliest extinction signs in today's oceans: Great Dying started with warming s The Economic Times · 20h ago
- Metabolic vulnerability confirmed as cause of Earth’s biggest mass extinction Open Access Government · 20h ago
- Scientists finally solved the mystery of Earth's greatest mass extinction ScienceDaily · 20h ago
- Researchers confirm cause of Earth’s biggest mass extinction Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability · 20h ago
- Around 252 million years ago, volcanoes across what is now Siberia erupted repeatedly for more than a million years, releasing perhaps 100,000 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide and helping wipe out roughly 90 per cent of marine species in the deadliest mas Space Daily · 20h ago broke it first
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