Home
AI
World
Politics
Health
Crime & justice
Science & technology
Social issues
Sports
Money
Entertainment
Environment/energy
Military
Culture
Weather
Media






Home
Bias Split
Public FiguresControversies

Sign Up for Our Free Newsletters
Sign Up for Our Free Newsletters

Sign Up!
Sign Up Now!

How our sliders workAboutContact UsNewsletter Archive
MediaFAQGlossaryPrivacy Policy
  1. Home

Study: Ancient Forest Collapse Prolonged Earth's 'Great Dying' Extinction

  • #Weather
  • #Environment
  • #Climate change
Study: Ancient Forest Collapse Prolonged Earth's 'Great Dying' Extinction
story
JUL 5
Above: Smoldering wildfire, California. Image copyright: Unsplash
story last updated JUL 5

The Spin

Climate-concerned narrative

This research provides crucial evidence that forest ecosystems are Earth's primary climate stabilizers. When volcanic eruptions destroyed ancient tropical forests, the planet lost its primary mechanism for absorbing carbon, which had trapped CO2 in the atmosphere for millions of years. The fossil record clearly shows how ecosystem collapse can lock Earth into prolonged warming cycles.

NatureNew Scientist

Climate-skeptic narrative

While the study offers valuable insights into past climate events, drawing direct parallels to modern conditions requires caution. Current tropical forests exhibit distinct characteristics compared to Permian vegetation, and today's continental configurations differ significantly from those of the ancient supercontinent Pangea. The timescales involved make direct comparisons challenging.

IndependentDOI

Metaculus Prediction


The Controversies


LOWHIGH
Status:Open
Is Climate Change an Existential Threat?
Controversy
JUL 5JUL 5

UNLIKELYLIKELY
Status:Open
Will 2025 Be the Hottest Year Ever Recorded?
Controversy
JUL 5JUL 5

Articles on this story

Ancient mass extinction shows how Earth turned into a super-greenhouse
New ScientistJUL 3
Fossils reveal why earth was extremely hot for millions of years
IndependentJUL 3
'The Great Dying' mass extinction was a warning from the trees, study says
USA TodayJUL 3
The ‘Great Dying’ wiped out 90% of life, then came 5 million years of lethal heat. New fossils explain why
CNNJUL 3