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Extinction event

Adapted from Wikipedia · Explorer experience

A stunning view of Earth from space, captured by astronauts during the Apollo 17 mission.

What Is an Extinction Event?

An extinction event is when many kinds of plants and animals disappear from Earth very quickly. Scientists notice these times because species vanish much faster than usual.

The Big Five

Scientists found five big times when many plants and animals disappeared. These are called the "Big Five." They happened at different times, long ago.

For example, at the end of a time called the Cretaceous, the dinosaurs disappeared. After each big event, new kinds of plants and animals slowly appeared to fill the empty spaces.

Why We Study Them

Studying these events helps us understand how Earth changes and how life can grow again after big challenges. It also helps scientists think about how we might protect plants and animals today.

A Special Time

Scientists think we might be in a sixth big extinction now. This is happening because of things people do. Many animals and plants are disappearing faster than usual. If we change our ways, we can help protect the variety of life on Earth.

Images

Fossil specimens of an ancient trilobite called Kainops invius, showing details of its exoskeleton from different angles.
A view of the Drumheller Badlands showing rock layers from the time of the dinosaurs.
Father and son scientists exploring the K-T Boundary layer in Bottaccione Gorge, Italy.
A scientific graph showing how the number of ocean creatures changed over millions of years, with markers for major extinction events.
A scientific graph showing patterns of extinction in marine life over time, helping us understand Earth's history.
Animation showing how fossil record patterns can help scientists estimate extinction rates over time.
A scientific graph comparing two methods for measuring extinction rates of marine species over millions of years.
A scientific graph showing how marine animal diversity has changed over millions of years, with lines representing different data trends and extinction events.
Map showing the location and extent of the Siberian Traps, a large geological formation in Siberia.
Artistic reconstruction of woolly mammoths, rhinos, and cave lions in a Pleistocene landscape of northern Spain.
A fossilized ammonite from the Jurassic period, discovered in Bavaria, Germany.

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Extinction event, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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