Ancient sea organisms survived until a sudden extinction 550 million years ago, revealing what may be the first major mass extinction.

Massive volcanic eruptions on the Indian peninsula have long been proposed as an alternative cause for the demise of the dinosaurs. This phase of active volcanism took place in a period just before ...

Many of their descendants—modern birds—are currently threatened by extinction, with hundreds of species at risk due to human activity. This article explores the major extinction events that influenced ...

(CNN) — A cataclysm engulfed the planet some 252 million years ago, wiping out more than 90% of all life. Known as the Great Dying, the mass extinction that ended the Permian geological period was the ...

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At least two mass extinction events in Earth's history were likely caused by the "devastating" effects of nearby supernova explosions, a new study suggests. Researchers at Keele University say these ...

Nearly one million years ago, humanity came perilously close to disappearing. A new study reveals that our ancestors may have been reduced to just 1,280 individuals, leaving the human race on the ...