Recent research into the chemistry of ancient pollen grains has revealed a pulse of elevated UV radiation may have played a role in the end Permian mass extinction event (250 million years ago). To find out more:
- Original article: Liu, F., Peng, H., John, E.A.M., Lomax, B.H., Bomfleur, B., Kent, M.S., Fraser, W.T. & Jardine, P.E. (2023) Dying in the Sun: Direct evidence for elevated UV-B radiation at the end-Permian mass extinction. Science Advances 9, eabo6102. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abo6102
- University of Nottingham press release: New discovery of sunscreen-like chemicals in fossil plants reveals UV radiation played a part in mass extinction events
- BNR Wetenschap Vandaag meet authors Barry Lomax and Phil Jardine to discuss the research, click here to listen.
Ecology of the past 