extinction events Archives

The extraterrestrial processes responsible for influencing the diversity of life forms are usually invisible to the human eye. The Milky Way is where large stars explode, leading to supernova remnants whose shock fronts accelerate cosmic ray particles to high energies. Cosmic rays find their way to the solar system, where some collide with the atmosphere producing cascades of secondary particles which ionize the atmosphere. Ions influence the formation of clouds which ultimately affect climate. Therefore, changes in supernova activity change climate, which is responsible for mixing and transporting life's essential nutrients to the ecosystems (Illustration: Henrik: Svensmark, DTU Space).

Astrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Extinction events, Fossils & Paleontology, Press Release

A Persistent Influence Of Supernovae On Our Planet’s Biodiversity

by Keith CowingMarch 21, 2023March 21, 2023

Extensive studies of the fossil record have shown that the diversity of life forms has varied significantly over geological time, and a fundamental question of evolutionary biology is which processes […]

Extinction events

Why Extinctions Ran Amok In Ancient Oceans, And Why They Slowed Down

by Keith CowingOctober 5, 2021

Not long after the dawn of complex animal life, tens of millions of years before the first of the “Big Five” mass extinctions, a rash of die-offs struck the world’s […]