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book
BookPrinted Material
Author Benton, M. J. (Michael J.)

Title When life nearly died : the greatest mass extinction of all time / Michael J. Benton.

Publication Info. New York : Thames & Hudson, 2003.

Item Status

Location Call No. Status OPAC Message Public Note Gift Note
 Moore Stacks  QE721.2.E97 B46 2003    Available  ---
Description 336 pages : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references (pages 318-328) and index.
Contents Geological time-scale -- Antediluvian Sauria -- Murchison names the permian -- Death of catastrophism -- Concept that dared not speak its name -- Impact! -- Diversity, extinction and mass extinction -- Homing in on the event -- Life's biggest challenge -- Tale of two continents -- On the river Sakmara -- What caused the biggest catastrophe of all time? -- Sixth mass extinction? -- Glossary
Summary Today it is common knowledge that the dinosaurs were wiped out by a meteorite impact 65 million years ago that killed half of all species then living. Far less well-known is a much greater catastrophe that took place at the end of the Permian period 251 million years ago: at least 90 percent of life was destroyed, both on land and in the sea. . . . This book documents not only what happened during this gigantic mass extinction but also the recent rekindling of the idea of catastrophism. -Dust jacket.
Subject Extinction (Biology) -- History.
Extinction (Biology)
History.
Catastrophes (Geology)
Catastrophes (Geology)
Geology, Stratigraphic -- Permian.
Geology, Stratigraphic.
Chronological Term Permian
ISBN 050005116X