Exploding stars may have caused mass extinction on Earth, study shows
2 institutional releases
Published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · View the paper (DOI)
A new study led by University of Illinois astronomer Brian Fields explores the possibility that astronomical events were responsible for an extinction event 359 million years ago. Researchers found evidence suggesting long-lasting ozone-depletion, which could be caused by killer cosmic rays from nearby supernovae.
Coverage from 2 institutions
- Exploding stars may have caused mass extinction on Earth, study shows University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau · Aug 18, 2020 · first to report
- Discovery lays blame on supernova for extinction event nearly 360 million years ago University of Kansas · Aug 20, 2020