Uncovering the Terrifying Link Between El Niño and Earth’s Worst Mass Extinction

A new study suggests that the worst mass extinction in Earth’s history, which occurred around 250 million years ago at the end of the Permian period, may have been caused by a supercharged El Niño cycle fueled by an overload of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This finding has significant implications for modern climate science, as researchers are unsure of how current warming will affect the El Niño-La Niña cycle.

During the Permian period, life flourished on Earth, with lush forests, diverse species of reptiles, amphibians, insects, and marine life thriving. However, the eruption of giant volcanic rifts in Siberia, known as the Siberian Traps, released massive amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This event, combined with the vaporization of coal seams in the area, led to a significant climatic shift.

The study, led by researchers from the University of Bristol and the China University of Geosciences, found that the warming climate caused by the volcanic eruptions resulted in a series of severe and long-lasting El Niño events. These events further increased temperatures on land, leading to the death of forests and species that relied on them. The loss of forests also contributed to the retention of heat-trapping carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, creating a runaway positive feedback loop.

The researchers modeled the impacts of these events and found that the heat in the atmosphere eventually raised ocean temperatures in the ancient Panthalassa ocean to levels unsuitable for most marine organisms. This study, published in the journal Science, provides a compelling link between the events of the Permian period and the present day, highlighting the potential consequences of unchecked carbon emissions.

Peter Ward, a paleontologist at the University of Washington who was not involved in the study, described the implications of the findings as “terrifying.” While the Siberian Traps released far more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than current human activities, the rapid rate at which carbon is being injected into the atmosphere today poses a significant threat to global stability.

Overall, this research underscores the importance of understanding the complex interactions between carbon emissions, climate change, and mass extinctions in Earth’s history. It serves as a stark warning of the potential consequences of unchecked carbon emissions on the planet’s ecosystems and human society.