Author Archives: Rolf Schuttenhelm

Climate models underestimate Arctic melting – ice dynamics feedback not taken into account

Yes, indeed, we’re a couple of days late bringing you the news. But this could be an important update to our Arctic melting coverage. It’s feedback-driven (after all), American and French researchers say.

Life had a small surprise just after the end-Cretaceous mass extinction

You may have felt really lonely walking the face of Earth. Until you looked closer. [Btw: who needs peer-reviewed literature when you’ve got the annual festival of presentations at the Geological Society of America?]

Ice age riddle nr2: If Lake Agassiz drained at wrong time, what caused Younger Dryas?

In our first ice age riddle a couple of days ago we looked at the link between CO2 rise and ice retreat, after the last ice age had reached its max, some 18,000 years ago.

Rare space radiation disasters may lead to extinction events – just how deadly is a two-month ozone hole?

Both supernovae and extreme solar flares can damage Earth’s ozone layer. But perhaps a black hole swallowing a neutron star somewhere not too far away gives a bigger punch – lasting a second or so.

Reefs took 1.5 million years to reappear after Permian-Triassic Mass Extinction

The Permian-Triassic Mass Extinction was the largest in our planet’s history. Enormous disruptions of the carbon cycle led to climate change, ocean acidification and ocean anoxia – and with an estimated 90 percent of all species dying out Earth almost … Continue reading →