Permian Prime Suspects
- By Susan K. Lewis
- Posted 11.01.06
- NOVA scienceNOW
What triggered the Permian extinction roughly 250 million years ago? Was it an asteroid or comet impact, volcanism or glaciation, a great build-up of methane gas, or something else entirely? Examine the theories, then vote for one of the prime suspects.
Examine a lineup of possible culprits in the Permian extinction and cast your vote in our poll.
Credits
Images
- (all except Doug Erwin)
- © NOVA/WGBH Educational Foundation
- (Doug Erwin)
- Courtesy Doug Erwin
Related Links
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Mass Extinction
What caused the Permian extinction—the mother of all extinctions—250 million years ago?
-
Mass Extinction: Expert Q&A
The Smithsonian's Doug Erwin answers questions about the Permian and other mass extinctions.
-
The Permian Puzzle
Paleontologist Doug Erwin offers his take on what caused the Permian extinction.
-
Megabeasts' Sudden Death
Scientists propose a radical new idea of what killed off mammoths and other large animals at the end of the Ice Age.
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