Global warming caused by volcanic eruptions triggered a mass extinction event that wiped out around 85% of all marine species on Earth, scientists have claimed. Professor David Bond from the University of Hull and Dr Stephen Grasby from the Geological Survey of Canada say that global warming - linked to many of history's other mass extinctions - is a more likely explanation for what was planet's first mass extinction. The eruptions are believed to have released enough carbon dioxide to heat up the planet and contribute to global warming. Previous theories about the Late Ordovician extinction have focused on widespread glaciation towards the end of the period. The new research, published in the Geology journal, does not discount glaciation at the time but suggests the cooler climate was then impacted by global warming events triggered by volcanic eruptions.

Source: Daily Mail June 20, 2020 14:15 UTC