The Great Dying: Earth's Catastrophic Extinction

Two hundred and fifty million years ago, Earth came terrifyingly close to losing

everything. Not just a few species — almost all life on the planet vanished. Oceans turned toxic,

skies filled with ash, and the world itself seemed to stop breathing. Scientists call

it “The Great Dying,” the most catastrophic extinction event in Earth’s history, when nearly 90%

of all life was wiped out. Back then, our planet looked completely different

— all the continents were joined in one massive landmass called Pangaea. Life was thriving:

giant insects ruled the skies, forests stretched endlessly, and the oceans were

alive with strange creatures. But deep beneath what is now Siberia, disaster was brewing.