Rocks are recods of events that took place at the time they formed. They are books.

They have different

vocavolary, a different alphabet, but you learn how to read them. -- Jhon Mcphee

EARTH ROCKS, EARTH HISTORY, MASS EXTINCTION

In many locations, 19th century geologist found thick sequences of rock layers with abundant fossils
that we know represents millions , or hundreds of millions of years of earth history.

Young layers of rocks have found fossils but of organisms very different from older rock layers.

Catastrophic event

- had abruptly decimated life on earth , and that new life form emerged following these mass extinction.

But then following conventional wisdom of ti e, scientists conclude that the extinction of old life forms
and emergence of new ones by gradually changing condition,.

The most dramatic extinction occurred 248 million years ago, at the end of Permian Period. At thet
time , 90% of all species in the ocean suddenly died out. On land, about two thirds of reptile and
amphibian species and 30% of insect vanished.

The death of life forms leads ecosystem changed as new organisms emerged in an environment free of
predators and competition.

About 180 million years ago, at the end of cretaceous times, another catastrophic extinction wiped out
oone fourth of all species includkng the dinosaurs. Small mammals survived, increased rapidly
-eventually leading to the evolution of humans.

EXTRATERRESTRIAL IMPACTS

In 1977, the father-and-son team of Walter and Luis Alvarez were studying rocks that formed at the time
the dinosaurs and so many other life forms became extinct,.

- they found the element iridium.

Iridium is more abundant in meteorites. Soot from the global wildfires and iridium-rich meteorite dust
rose into the upper atmosphere, circling the globe. The thick, dark cloud blocked out the sun and
halted photosynthesis for as much as a year. This event called the terminal cretaceous extinction. Then
the sooty, iridium-rickh dust settled to earth to form the distinctive clay layer.

VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS

A volcanic eruption ejects gas and fine volcanic ash into the atmosphere. The ash acts as an umbrella
that reflects sunlight back into space and thus causes climate cooling. One volcano gas, sulfur dioxide,
forms small particles called aerosols that also reflects sunlight and cool earth. Carbon dioxide is another
gas emitted by volcanoes. It is a greenhouse gas that can cause warming of earth atmosphere.
The ash and aerosols spread like a pall throughout the upper atmosphere, blocking out the sun. Earth
atmospheric and oceanic temp. plummeted, plants withered, and animals starved to froze to death.

SUPERCONTINENTS AND EARTH CARBON DIOXIDE BUDGET

All continents have joined together to form one giant supercontinent. One such supercontinent
assembled during Permian Time.

Other scientists point to global climate change, citing evidence for a period of sudden warming and
cooling. These rapid extremes of conditions may have meant species were unable to adjust.