The Great Dying

The Great Dying is the informal name for the Permian–Triassic extinction event, the most severe mass extinction known in Earth’s history.

The Great Dying is the informal name for the Permian–Triassic extinction event, the most severe mass extinction known in Earth's history. It occurred around 252 million years ago at the end of the Permian Period and eliminated most marine species and a large share of land life. The event is widely studied by scientists as a benchmark for understanding extreme climate change and ecosystem collapse.

Definition

The Great Dying is the common name for the Permian–Triassic extinction event, a global die-off at the end of the Permian Period. NASA and other sources describe it as a brief geologic moment in which most life on Earth perished.

Causes and environmental changes

Research links the event primarily to flood-basalt volcanism in the Siberian Traps, which released huge amounts of carbon and other gases. These emissions drove rapid warming, reduced ocean oxygen levels, and made marine environments increasingly hostile. The event is often marked on the world map of geological history as a key turning point.

Biological impact

The extinction was catastrophic for marine and terrestrial life, with estimates ranging from about 90% of species lost to as high as 96% of marine species and around 70% of land species. It reshaped ecosystems and removed many dominant groups, including ancient forms of life like the ancestors of the Canada Goose, the Flower, the Axolotl, and the Capybara.

Recovery and significance

Life eventually recovered, but the process took millions of years and altered the course of evolution. The event is studied as a benchmark for understanding extreme climate change and mass extinctions. Canadian researchers, universities, and science communicators often discuss the Great Dying as a key case study in climate-driven ecosystem collapse, making it relevant to those interested in climate science and paleontology.