Ancient Earth kept boiling for five million years. We now know what happened
The lessons from 250 million years ago feel eerily relevant
Once again, the planet may be approaching a tipping point
A new study has shed light on one of Earth's most mysterious climate disasters â€' revealing that the planet remained trapped in extreme heat for millions of years after a mass extinction, largely because the plants didn't grow back fast enough.
The event in question is the Permian–Triassic Mass Extinction, also known as the 'Great Dying,' which occurred around 252 million years ago and wiped out nearly 90% of life on Earth.
Scientists have long linked this catastrophe to massive volcanic eruptions in Siberia that released huge amounts of greenhouse gases, causing runaway global warming. But here's the puzzling part: the extreme heat didn't subside when the eruptions ended. It lingered for five million years.
Now, researchers believe they've found the missing piece of the puzzle â€' and it's rooted in the soil.
Using fossil records and climate modeling, scientists reconstructed how plant life changed across the globe during and after the extinction. What they discovered was striking: a massive collapse of land vegetation, especially in tropical areas, led to very low carbon absorption by plants.
Without enough greenery to pull carbon dioxide out of the air and store it in the ground, CO levels remained sky-high, and so did global temperatures.
The study, published in Nature, shows how important plants are in balancing the Earth's climate. The collapse of ecosystems didn't just affect life on land â€' it created a dangerous feedback loop: fewer plants meant more CO in the air, which meant more heat, which made it even harder for plants to recover.
'This ancient climate crisis carries a clear warning,' say scientists. 'When ecosystems collapse, the climate doesn't just bounce back.'
As the modern world faces rapid deforestation and rising carbon emissions, the lessons from 250 million years ago feel eerily relevant. Once again, the planet may be approaching a tipping point â€' and what happened in the past could happen again if natural systems that trap carbon are allowed to fail.
A new study has shed light on one of Earth's most mysterious climate disasters â€' revealing that the planet remained trapped in extreme heat for millions of years after a mass extinction, largely because the plants didn't grow back fast enough.
The event in question is the Permian–Triassic Mass Extinction, also known as the 'Great Dying,' which occurred around 252 million years ago and wiped out nearly 90% of life on Earth.
Scientists have long linked this catastrophe to massive volcanic eruptions in Siberia that released huge amounts of greenhouse gases, causing runaway global warming. But here's the puzzling part: the extreme heat didn't subside when the eruptions ended. It lingered for five million years.
Now, researchers believe they've found the missing piece of the puzzle â€' and it's rooted in the soil.
Using fossil records and climate modeling, scientists reconstructed how plant life changed across the globe during and after the extinction. What they discovered was striking: a massive collapse of land vegetation, especially in tropical areas, led to very low carbon absorption by plants.
Without enough greenery to pull carbon dioxide out of the air and store it in the ground, CO levels remained sky-high, and so did global temperatures.
The study, published in Nature, shows how important plants are in balancing the Earth's climate. The collapse of ecosystems didn't just affect life on land â€' it created a dangerous feedback loop: fewer plants meant more CO in the air, which meant more heat, which made it even harder for plants to recover.
'This ancient climate crisis carries a clear warning,' say scientists. 'When ecosystems collapse, the climate doesn't just bounce back.'
As the modern world faces rapid deforestation and rising carbon emissions, the lessons from 250 million years ago feel eerily relevant. Once again, the planet may be approaching a tipping point â€' and what happened in the past could happen again if natural systems that trap carbon are allowed to fail. Join our WhatsApp Channel
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