Decoding the Permian-Triassic Extinction & Newborn Sightings

This week has been full of fascinating news: a billionaire took a spacewalk, archaeologists uncovered a new, isolated lineage of Neanderthals, and the James Webb Space Telescope captured images of the farthest reaches of the Milky Way. Here are some other notable updates:

Unraveling the Earth’s Rumbling

If you are sensitive to longitudinal P-wave seismic frequencies, you might have felt an unusual rumbling that lasted for nine days in 2023. Scientists began investigating this phenomenon, connecting it to a mysterious seismic disturbance.

The cause has been traced to a mountain in an East Greenland fjord collapsing into the ocean, which set off a massive tsunami with towering waves reaching 200 meters. This event created seismic waves that reverberated around the globe. The climate change that melted the glacier at the base of the mountain was a significant factor, destabilizing the rock and ice. Seismologist Alice Gabriel from UC San Diego pointed out that such events highlight the shifting norms on Earth due to climate change.

Cuddly but Endangered

In a rare piece of good news, officials at an Indonesian national park have reported the sighting of a young Javan rhino calf named Iris. This discovery is a positive sign that the critically endangered species is still reproducing. The calf, estimated to be between three and five months old, was caught on a camera trap along with her mother. Earlier in the year, the park also recorded two other calf sightings. However, the species is still at risk due to poaching and natural threats, with only about 80 individuals remaining globally.

Alarming New Study

A recent study has brought to light some disturbing facts about the Permian-Triassic extinction event, which happened 252 million years ago. The general consensus among scientists is that this mass extinction was caused by carbon dioxide emissions from volcanic activity, which led to climate change and the collapse of ecosystems. The decline in insects and plants, usually resilient to temperature changes, remained a mystery until now.

Research from the University of Bristol and China University of Geosciences reveals that extended El Niño events were a major factor. Unlike the shorter El Niño events we see today, these ancient events lasted for decades, causing severe weather and climate fluctuations. According to Paul Wignall, a professor at the University of Leeds, the prolonged El Niño periods created extreme environmental conditions that made survival and adaptation nearly impossible for many species. This highlights how prolonged climate disruptions can have devastating effects on global ecosystems.