Extinction
Hazards to life itself, at least on Earth.
The Strangelove Ocean
Strangelove oceans are nasty things no matter what they really are.
Strangelove oceans are nasty things no matter what they really are.
The Permian-Triassic Extinction
New evidence and old converges on a volcanic explanation for "the great dying."
New evidence and old converges on a volcanic explanation for "the great dying."
On the Destiny of Species
Not to take anything away from evolution, but extinction may be the more worthy scientific problem, because whereas we've already evolved, we haven't learned to save ourselves.
Not to take anything away from evolution, but extinction may be the more worthy scientific problem, because whereas we've already evolved, we haven't learned to save ourselves.
Seeing Disney's "Dinosaur"
If you're science-literate, you may hold your nose at the movie "Dinosaur." But I submit that if you ignore its distortion of the geologic facts, its deeper message on extinction is worthy of contemplation.
If you're science-literate, you may hold your nose at the movie "Dinosaur." But I submit that if you ignore its distortion of the geologic facts, its deeper message on extinction is worthy of contemplation.
The Strangelove Ocean
This colorfully named situation underlies several known episodes of mass extinction.
This colorfully named situation underlies several known episodes of mass extinction.
Cycles of Life and Death Through Time
The Hooper Virtual Paleontological Museum hosts this extensive survey of extinction events from the Proterozoic to the Holocene, without the most recent developments.
The Hooper Virtual Paleontological Museum hosts this extensive survey of extinction events from the Proterozoic to the Holocene, without the most recent developments.
Dinosaur Extinction
A surprisingly deep resource, this set of pages from Enchanted Learning's Zoom School gets well into the science without making it ponderous.
A surprisingly deep resource, this set of pages from Enchanted Learning's Zoom School gets well into the science without making it ponderous.
Dinosaur Extinction: The Volcano-Greenhouse Theory
Dewey McLean, an early and untiring opponent of the impact theory, has his say here, along with comments on the unfair role of the scientific press.
Dewey McLean, an early and untiring opponent of the impact theory, has his say here, along with comments on the unfair role of the scientific press.
Early Jurassic Extinction
This mysterious extinction event is discussed at the end of this class lecture from Columbia University.
This mysterious extinction event is discussed at the end of this class lecture from Columbia University.
Extinctions Due to Impacts, Past and Future
A 1996 presentation by NASA scientist Owen Toon sums up the physicist's viewpoint. Lots of damage estimates and frequency estimates, nothing about the fossil record.
A 1996 presentation by NASA scientist Owen Toon sums up the physicist's viewpoint. Lots of damage estimates and frequency estimates, nothing about the fossil record.
Flood Basalts, Mantle Plumes and Mass Extinctions
Steven Self and Mike Rampino present the eruption hypothesis of mass extinction on the Geological Society's Web site.
Steven Self and Mike Rampino present the eruption hypothesis of mass extinction on the Geological Society's Web site.
Mass Extinction Underway
David Ulansey raises a hue and cry on this page, a long list of links documenting the current wave of human-caused extinctions.
David Ulansey raises a hue and cry on this page, a long list of links documenting the current wave of human-caused extinctions.
A Model of Mass Extinction
A paper from a Santa Fe Institute researcher shoots down the theory that mass extinctions just happen due to "coevolutionary avalanches."
A paper from a Santa Fe Institute researcher shoots down the theory that mass extinctions just happen due to "coevolutionary avalanches."
The Typewritten Book of the Not-So-Grateful Dead
The quagga, the passenger pigeon, the aurochs . . . just three of the recently extinct species that Steve Warmack has documented in touching detail.
The quagga, the passenger pigeon, the aurochs . . . just three of the recently extinct species that Steve Warmack has documented in touching detail.
What Killed the Dinosaurs?
A thorough, even-handed treatment of the question from the University of California Museum of Paleontology.
A thorough, even-handed treatment of the question from the University of California Museum of Paleontology.
What Killed Them?
A series of New Scientist articles about the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous presents bits of research as they happened.
A series of New Scientist articles about the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous presents bits of research as they happened.