Cretaceous–Tertiary extinction event

struck by cataclysmic events, ones so severe and swift they obliterated most living things before they ever had a chance to adapt. With the developing technologies and industries, humans now possess the ability to impact the Earth immensely. In the articles, “Numerous Signs Point to Parasite Mass Extinctions” by Tracy V. Wilson and “Mass Extinction and Biodiversity Loss” by David Hosansky, are concerned on this topic and explain how the Earth is on the brink of a sixth mass extinction. Both…

Dinosaurs were said to be extinct. Said to be gone two-hundred thirty million years ago. Though, Michael Crichton uses his amazing writing skills and universal theme to bring these ancient animals back to life. In the book Jurassic Park, paleontologists, doctors, lawyers, and two children venture off to Costa Rica to see what elder John Hammond and his money has been up to for the past five years. When they arrive one day they could not believe what they saw. Humongous dinosaurs roaming around…

In The Sixth Extinction, by Elizabeth Kolbert, the author stresses that if no changes are made to the world in which we live today, that a mass extinction will occur. Kolbert reveals that species are becoming extinct at a rate that is similar to those of preceding mass extinctions. Most importantly, if the destruction and contamination of the natural world continue at the same pace then it will conclude with the end of humanity. Similar to the extinction of dinosaurs 65 million years ago,…

Some examples of macroevolution include the impact that mass extinctions have on the diversity of life, the appearance of terrestrial vertebrates through speciation, and the basis of key adaptations. An example of this is flight in birds. Another example of macroevolution is a species named Primula kewensis, which came into existence because of the crossbreeding of two hybrid primrose species, Primula verticillata and Primula floribunda. Sedimentary rocks We do not know the actual, or…

first and most evidence backed theory is called the K-T event theory. This theory was created by a father and son duo Luis and Walter Alvarez. “In the 1980s, father-and-son scientists Luis (1911-88) and Walter Alvarez (1940-) discovered in the geological record a distinct layer of iridium–an element found in abundance only in space–that corresponds to the precise time the dinosaurs died. This suggests that a comet, asteroid or meteor impact event…

forests of South China until climate change struck. The fruit eaters failed to adapt to the new dominant food sources of grass, roots, and leaves. Evidently, they soon went extinct because they refused to take a risk and change their diet. This extinction represents the consequence of not taking a risk, and if humans do not take risks today by exploring Mars, it could lead to the same unfortunate fate. Mars, also known as The Red Planet, is the fourth planet away from the sun. Recently, the…

About 542 million years ago, an event known as 'The Cambrian Explosion' also known as 'Cambrian Radiation' occurred. It began in the Cambrian period which took place during the Paleozoic Era 542-251 million years ago. It is one of the most significant episodes in the history of life (Conway Morris, 2006). The Cambrian Explosion changed everything. Prior to the Cambrian Explosion, large animals were soft-bodied. Palaeontologists discovered fossils which accounted for approximately half of all…

I'm going to talk about the geologic evidence of the permian triassic extinction. This is a volcanic scenario. There are different geologic reasons for the permian triassic i'm going to tell you about them . During this period there has been documented changes in the air. The atmosphere went evey high which means high levels oxygen was about 30%. When it was low it was about 15%. In this time the salinity in the sea was filled with sharply during the period about 250 million years ago…

could completely dismantle an entire species, let alone a body of dinosaurs. Consequently, the debacle on the causes of dinosaur extinction have baffled the minds of paleontologists for centuries. Geologist and zoologist Stephen Jay Gould published “Sex, Drugs, Disasters, and the Extinction of Dinosaurs,” to compare scientific and speculative causes of dinosaur extinction. This passage is highly informative and enjoyable. Gould provides three theories-- sex, drugs, and disasters-- that…

The Permian-Triassic extinction is seen as one of the largest mass extinction in the history of life. According to the McGraw-Hill Dictionary (2003) it can be defined as a mass extinction event marking the division between the Permian Period and the Triassic Period as well as the border between the Palaeozoic and Mesozoic eras. It is estimated to have triggered the extinction of 90% or more of all ocean species, approximately 70% of land vertebrates, and significant extinctions of plants and…