5 Extinctions Due to Small Apocalypses That Have Occurred on Earth

JAKARTA – Bum i has experienced a small apocalypse event in the form of a mass extinction that quickly destroyed animal and plant species on Earth. Scientists say that about three-quarters of all species died out in a short time, namely less than 2.8 million years.

And interestingly, this didn’t happen just once but several times. For those of you who don’t know, here is a list of 5 small apocalypses starting from mass extinctions that have occurred on Earth, as summarized from Live Science, Wednesday (6/3/2023).

1. Ordovician-Silurian extinction – 444 million years ago

The first mass extinction on Earth occurred about 444 million years ago when almost all life existed in the sea and plants were just starting to appear on land. Climate shifts cause ocean temperatures to change, and most life in the ocean dies.

This mass extinction killed about 85 percent of all species. Scientists say the rise of the North American Appalachian mountains is one of the reasons this climate shift occurred, resulting in cooling throughout the Earth.

2. Late Devonian Extinction – 365 million years ago

Often referred to as the “age of fish”, the Devonian period saw the rise and fall of many prehistoric marine species. This event occurred approximately 383 million years ago, causing 75 percent of all Earth’s species to disappear over a span of 20 million years.

In this second extinction period land began to be discovered and plants began to grow. This nutrient-rich soil then flows into the world’s oceans, causing algae to multiply on a huge scale, creating giant dead zones, where algae removes oxygen from the water.

This event then strangled marine life, and wreaked havoc on the marine food chain. Species that cannot adapt to reduced oxygen levels and lack of food then perish. One of the sea monsters that was erased from the world’s oceans was the Dunkleosteus fish.

3. Permian-Triassic extinction – 253 million years ago

This extinction event is often referred to as “The Great Dying”. This is the largest mass extinction that has ever hit Earth, which succeeded in wiping out around 90% of all species on Earth, including destroying reptiles, insects and amphibians that roamed on land.

What caused this disaster was a period of rampant volcanism. At the end of the Permian period, the part of the world we now call Siberia erupted into an explosive volcano. This releases large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, causing the Earth to heat up.

As a result, weather patterns change, sea levels rise and acid rain hits the land. In the ocean, increasing levels of carbon dioxide leach into the water, poisoning marine life and depriving the water of oxygen. Rising sea temperatures also reduce oxygen levels in the water.

4. Triassic-Jurassic extinction – 201 million years ago

The Triassic period occurred around 201 million years ago, during which time dinosaurs began to inhabit the world. Although it is still unclear why this fourth mass extinction occurred, scientists think that massive volcanic activity occurring in the region of the world now covered by the Atlantic Ocean is to blame.

Similar to the Permian extinction, volcanoes released massive amounts of carbon dioxide, driving climate change and destroying life on Earth. Global temperatures are rising, ice is melting, and sea levels are rising and acidifying. As a result, many marine and land species became extinct, these included large prehistoric crocodiles and some flying pterosaurs.

According to Discover magazine, there is an alternative theory explaining this mass extinction, which suggests that increasing carbon dioxide levels released trapped methane from permafrost, which would have resulted in a similar series of events.

5. K-Pg extinction – 66 million years ago

The most famous of all mass extinction events is the K-Pg extinction, better known as the day the dinosaurs died. This event occurred because an asteroid more than 8 miles (13 kilometers) wide fell towards Earth at a speed of about 45,000 mph (72,000 km/h).

This created a hole 110 miles (180 km) wide and 12 miles (19 km) deep, called the Chicxulub crater. The impact then scorched all surrounding land within 900 miles (1,450 km) and ended the dinosaurs’ 180 million-year reign on Earth.

What followed the impact was months of blackened skies caused by debris and dust thrown into the atmosphere. This prevented plants from absorbing sunlight, and they died en masse and destroyed the dinosaur food chain.

(wbs)