{"product_id":"extinction-douglas-h-erwin-9780691165653","title":"Extinction: How Life on Earth Nearly Ended 250 Million Years Ago - Updated Edition","description":"\u003cp\u003eSome 250 million years ago, the earth suffered the greatest biological crisis in its history. Around 95 percent of all living species died out--a global catastrophe far greater than the dinosaurs' demise 185 million years later. How this happened remains a mystery. But there are many competing theories. Some blame huge volcanic eruptions that covered an area as large as the continental United States; others argue for sudden changes in ocean levels and chemistry, including burps of methane gas; and still others cite the impact of an extraterrestrial object, similar to what caused the dinosaurs' extinction. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eExtinction\u003c\/i\u003e is a paleontological mystery story. Here, the world's foremost authority on the subject provides a fascinating overview of the evidence for and against a whole host of hypotheses concerning this cataclysmic event that unfolded at the end of the Permian. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAfter setting the scene, Erwin introduces the suite of possible perpetrators and the types of evidence paleontologists seek. He then unveils the actual evidence--moving from China, where much of the best evidence is found; to a look at extinction in the oceans; to the extraordinary fossil animals of the Karoo Desert of South Africa. Erwin reviews the evidence for each of the hypotheses before presenting his own view of what happened. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAlthough full recovery took tens of millions of years, this most massive of mass extinctions was a powerful creative force, setting the stage for the development of the world as we know it today. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn a new preface, Douglas Erwin assesses developments in the field since the book's initial publication.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Douglas H. Erwin\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 0691165653\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780691165653\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Princeton University Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 03\/22\/2015\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 320\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.60lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.50h x 5.40w x 0.80d","brand":"Douglas H. Erwin","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":43995570602239,"sku":"9780691165653","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_35fd24b7-3f3a-40a5-991a-2d37a590dfd9.jpg?v=1683336570","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/extinction-douglas-h-erwin-9780691165653","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}