Dinosaur Extinction
Extinction is by no means rare on Earth. It has always been part of Earth’s life history, even from the earliest times. The mass extinction at the end of the Paleozoic Era wiped out up to 96 percent of all marine organisms on Earth. The extinction event at the end of the Mesozoic Era wiped out all non-avian dinosaurs and about 85 percent of life on Earth—both plant and animal.
Watch the following movie for a brief introduction to one of the theories that explains the extinction of the dinosaurs. As you watch, keep the following questions in mind:
- What caused the Permian extinction event?
- What percent of living things became extinct during the Permian extinction event?
 Click on the image above to watch NOVA scienceNow 24: Mass Extinction |
