Mass Extinctions: The Causes and Consequences of Life’s Biggest Catastrophes

In the last half-billion years, a handful of catastrophic events known as mass extinctions wiped out vast numbers of species, forever changing the trajectory of life on Earth. This talk will dive into the ancient past to discuss the causes and long-term effects of mass extinctions and how they are studied by paleontologists and geologists. Join us to learn how researchers at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History are investigating life’s first mass extinction event by studying museum collections and conducting fieldwork on a remote island in Canada, and explore some of the weird and wonderful animals that were affected by this mass extinction event.