Life on Earth has survived more than five mass extinctions

History · Published 24 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: While history books often cite five major mass extinctions, the true record of life's survival is far more complex. From ancient ice ages to modern human influence, the planet has repeatedly faced catastrophic shifts that fundamentally reshaped every ecosystem we see today.

Paleontologists generally recognize five great extinction events, but scientists are currently debating whether many more occurred throughout Earth's history. The record shows that the overwhelming majority of all species that have ever evolved on our planet are now extinct. These periods are defined by instances where species vanished at a rate significantly faster than new species could appear, creating profound shifts in the biological landscape. These events represent moments where life's trajectory was fundamentally redirected. Scientists are actively investigating if the historical record is even more populated with these catastrophes than currently acknowledged.

One of the earliest major catastrophes occurred approximately 445 million years ago. A shift into a frigid state caused vast glaciers to lock seawater into ice, draining the coastal shallows where creatures like trilobites and corals thrived. A subsequent warming period over the next million years inundated these habitats again. This 'two-punch' of rapid climate change caused 85 percent of marine species to disappear, marking the world's first recognized mass extinction. This initial disaster occurred during a time when the planet was a warm greenhouse world. The specific causes for this sudden cooling remain a mystery to researchers today.

Extinction events often create unexpected winners and losers. For example, the near-wipeout of protomammal relatives 252 million years ago allowed reptiles, including early dinosaurs, to proliferate. Similarly, the Late Devonian extinction destroyed massive reef systems, which altered water circulation and paved the way for an 'Age of Crinoids.' Today, the background extinction rate is estimated to be 1,000 times the normal rate, leading geologists to suggest that human activity may be driving a sixth mass extinction in the Anthropocene period. The term Anthropocene highlights how our species acts as a geological force similar to volcanoes. This rapid change poses significant questions regarding the future of human survival.

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