Volcanoes Contributed to Mass Extinction

An analysis of minerals found in southern China shows that there was a set of volcanic eruptions that produced a volcanic winter.

IMAGE: Copper-rich minerals indicating widespread volcanic activity at the end-Permian mass extinction in different regions in southern China (A: Taoshujing locality; B: Lubei locality; C: Guanbachong; D: Taoshujing locality; E: Longmendong locality). The minerals are all copper sulfides, mostly Malachite–the minerals’ green patches. CREDIT: H. Zhang, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology.

Of course, understanding volcanoes today is fantastic. It could help save lives and property. But in geology, what’s past is present, and so it’s also helpful to understand…