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Permian Mas Extinction


Permian Mass Extinction

About 250 million years ago, more than 90% of all species on Earth mysteriously perished during a mass extinction, perhaps within just a few thousand years. Trilobites became extinct; coral, bryozoan, and brachiopod species diminished. Land plants and animals were also impacted; amphibian species dwindled and fungi dominated some ecosystems. The cause of the “Great Dying” is not yet known, although many scientists attribute the catastrophe to major environmental changes, perhaps involving reorganization of ocean circulation or massive volcanism.


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