Devonian extinction Archives - Science Connected Magazine

A team of researchers led by professor Brian Fields hypothesizes that a supernova about 65 light-years away may have contributed to the ozone depletion and subsequent mass extinction of the late Devonian Period, 359 million years ago. Pictured is a simulation of a nearby supernova colliding with and compressing the solar wind. Earth's orbit, the blue dashed circle, and the Sun, red dot, are shown for scale. (Graphic courtesy Jesse Miller)

Astronomy Biodiversity Biology

Did exploding stars cause this mass extinction?

September 28, 2020September 23, 2020 Science ConnectedDevonian extinction, Ozone depletion, supernova

Researchers at the University of Illinois think supernova explosions triggered the end-Devonian mass extinction 359 million years ago.