Earth Extinction Level Events

What are Extinction Level Events?

Extinction level events (ELEs) are catastrophic occurrences that have the potential to wipe out a large proportion of life on Earth.

These events can be caused by a variety of factors, including asteroid impacts, volcanic eruptions, and climate change.

There are two main types of ELEs:

Mass extinctions: These events cause the extinction of more than 50% of all species on Earth.
Near-extinctions: These events cause the extinction of between 10% and 50% of all species on Earth.

The five major extinction events in Earth's history are:

Ordovician-Silurian extinction: 444 million years ago, this event wiped out 85% of all marine species.
Late Devonian extinction: 375 million years ago, this event wiped out 75% of all species on Earth.
Permian-Triassic extinction: 252 million years ago, this event wiped out 96% of all marine species and 70% of all terrestrial species.
Triassic-Jurassic extinction: 201 million years ago, this event wiped out 80% of all marine species and 50% of all terrestrial species.
Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction: 66 million years ago, this event wiped out 76% of all species on Earth, including the dinosaurs.

The causes of ELEs are complex and varied.

Some of the most common causes include:

Asteroid impacts: The impact of a large asteroid or comet can cause widespread devastation, triggering tsunamis, earthquakes, and wildfires.
Volcanic eruptions: Large volcanic eruptions can release vast amounts of ash and gas into the atmosphere, blocking out the sun and causing global cooling.
Climate change: Rapid climate change can cause widespread disruption to ecosystems, leading to the extinction of many species.

ELEs can have a profound impact on the evolution of life on Earth.

They can:

Wipe out entire ecosystems: ELEs can cause the extinction of large numbers of species, leading to the collapse of entire ecosystems.
Create new opportunities for life: ELEs can also create new opportunities for life by opening up new niches for species to evolve into.
Drive the evolution of new species: The pressure of an ELE can drive the evolution of new species that are better adapted to the changed conditions.

ELEs are a natural part of the Earth's history.

They have played a major role in shaping the evolution of life on our planet.

While ELEs can be devastating, they can also create new opportunities for life.