Boggy's links to Extinctions

Back to Boggy's Geology Links Main Page Extinctions

if you have any suggestion, comment, link to add, if you find unavailable link, mail to boggy

Books about Extinctions

	Rivers in Time - The Search for Clues to Earth's Mass Extinctions Ward (geological science, U. of Washington, Seattle) presents the results of his investigations into the history of life and death on earth, describing three previous mass extinctions and evaluating the present devastation in which countless species are coming to the end of their evolution
	When Life Nearly Died: The Greatest Mass Extinction of All Time There have been five big mass extinctions in the history of the Earth. One 65 million years ago wiped out the dinosaurs, but the greatest of all happened around 251 million years ago, at the end of the Permian period. In this cataclysm at least 90 per cent of life was killed, both on land and in the sea, almost bringing evolution to a halt. What caused destruction on such an unimaginable scale? Was the impact of a huge meteorite, or prolonged volcanic eruption in Siberia? The evidence is assembled and Michael Benton gives his verdict. "When Life Nearly Died" does more than document this catastrophic event - it is also a history of developing ideas, explaining how we know what we know about geology and palaeontology, and laying bare the arguments and egos of scientists. Benton shows that this is not an arcane story of interest only to the scientific community - the implications of this mass extinction millions of years ago for the present-day biodiversity crisis are very relevant, so that the past can truly be a guide to the present and future life on Earth.
	The End of the Dinosaurs: Chicxulub Crater and Mass Extinctions The End of the Dinosaurs gives a detailed account of the great mass extinction that rocked the Earth 65 million years ago, and focuses on the discovery of the culprit: the Chicxulub impact crater in Mexico. It recounts the birth of the cosmic hypothesis, the controversy that preceded its acceptance, the search for the crater, its discovery and ongoing exploration, and the effect of the giant impact on the biosphere. Other mass extinctions in the fossil record are reviewed, as is the threat of asteroids and comets to our planet today. The account of the impact and its aftermath is suitable for general readers. The description of the crater geology is in enough detail to interest students of the earth sciences.
	Catastrophes and Lesser Calamities: The Causes of Mass Extinctions In Catastrophes and Lesser Calamities, renowned geologist Tony Hallam takes us on a tour of the Earth's history, and of the cataclysmic events, as well as the more gradual extinctions, that have punctuated life on Earth throughout the past 500 million years. While comparable books in this field of study tend to promote only one likely cause of mass extinctions, such as extraterrestrial impact, volcanism, and or climatic cooling, Catastrophes and Lesser Calamities breaks new ground, as the first book to attempt an objective coverage of all likely causes, including sea-level and climatic changes, oxygen deficiency in the oceans, volcanic activity, and extraterrestrial impact.
	Night Comes to the Cretaceous: Comets, Craters, Controversy, and the Last Days of the Dinosaurs Explains how the cataclysmic-collision theory of dinosaur extinction came about and the scientific melee that ensued.
	Evolutionary Catastrophes: The Science of Mass Extinction Evolutionary Catastrophes is a translation and update of an excellent presentation of the case for the most likely accomplice or perhaps main perpetrator--cataclysmic volcanism. Outpourings of "greenhouse" gases and volcanic dust cause climate change which has a knock-on effect through the plants, plant eaters to the meat eaters, through the whole food chain. As a professor of geophysics in the University of Paris, Vincent Courtillot is an expert witness and well placed to guide us through the more arcane aspects of the "palaeoforensics" of the case. He manages to make his statement in language suitable for the general reader and there is an excellent glossary and index to help with more technical matters.
	The Nemesis Affair: A Story of the Death of Dinosaurs and the Ways of Science In a few million years, Nemesis, the companion star to our sun will complete its orbit, bombarding our solar system with comets, some of which will be deflected toward Earth. Such a "large-body impact" might well extinguish humanity. In this stimulating work, updated with the latest scientific evidence, the controversies of the Nemesis theory are re-explored and the issues of mass extinction are re-investigated.