The Permian Extinction

The Permian Extinction

The Permian Extinction was the biggest extinction event in the history of life on earth. Over half of all living things on earth died 250 million years ago, but scientists still do not know what killed them. The causes have been narrowed down though, to causes like volcanic eruption, acid rain, and drastic climate change. The Permian Extinction wiped out 70% of all land species and 90% of marine life. Although this mass extinction wiped out almost all insects, plants, and underwater creatures, this annihilation made a path for the first dinosaurs to form and evolve, starting the Mesozoic era.

References

1) Hoffman, H. J. (n.d.). The permian extinction—when life nearly came to an end.

     Retrieved from http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/

     prehistoric-world/permian-extinction/

2) Ward, P. (n.d.). Permian-Triassic Extinction. Retrieved from PBS website:

     http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/library/03/2/l_032_02.html