When will the next mass extinction occur? - Borths, D'Emic, and Pritchard
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/when-will-the-next-mass-extinction-occur-borths-d-emic-and-pritchard About 66 million years ago, a terrible extinction ...
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About 66 million years ago, something terrible happened to life on our planet. Ecosystems were hit with a double blow as massive volcanic eruptions filled the atmosphere with carbon dioxide and an asteroid roughly the size of Manhattan struck the Earth. The dust from the impact reduced or stopped photosynthesis from many plants, starving herbivores and the carnivores that preyed on them. Within a short time span, three-quarters of the world's species disappeared forever, and the giant dinosaurs, flying pterosaurs, shelled squids, and marine reptiles that had flourished for ages faded into prehistory. It may seem like the dinosaurs were especially unlucky, but extinctions of various severities have occurred throughout the Earth's history, and are still happening all a...
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About 66 million years ago, something terrible happened to life on our planet. Ecosystems were hit with a double blow as massive volcanic eruptions filled the atmosphere with carbon dioxide and an asteroid roughly the size of Manhattan struck the Earth. The dust from the impact reduced or stopped photosynthesis from many plants, starving herbivores and the carnivores that preyed on them. Within a short time span, three-quarters of the world's species disappeared forever, and the giant dinosaurs, flying pterosaurs, shelled squids, and marine reptiles that had flourished for ages faded into prehistory. It may seem like the dinosaurs were especially unlucky, but extinctions of various severities have occurred throughout the Earth's history, and are still happening all a...
