Mass extinction 450 million years ago 'triggered by volcanic eruptions and global warming'

The Independent employs reporters around the world to bring you truly independent journalism. To support us, please consider a contribution. Earth’s first major mass extinction could have been triggered by climate change caused by volcanic eruptions, according to a new study. Scientists have previously believed the Late Ordovician event some 450 million years ago was linked to the end of an ice age, resulting in rising sea levels and plummeting oxygen levels in the oceans. Around 85 per cent of all marine-based species died out – at a time when most of our present day continents formed a single land mass, Pangaea. Download the new Independent Premium app Sharing the full story, not just...