31 Mar 16
Originally posted by whodeyThe article actually says 27 million years.
http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2016/03/30/Is-Planet-X-to-blame-for-Earths-mass-extinctions/6771459342170/
Could planet X be responsible for the periodic mass extinctions on earth about every 30 million years?
And are we not due again?
The dinosaur extinction event was 66 million years ago.
Therefore the next scheduled extinction event is in twelve million years. We are almost exactly half way between extinction events (assuming the periodicity of such events is real).
So no, we are not due again just yet.
31 Mar 16
Originally posted by twhiteheadAs a matter of fact...
The article actually says 27 million years.
The dinosaur extinction event was 66 million years ago.
Therefore the next scheduled extinction event is in twelve million years. We are almost exactly half way between extinction events (assuming the periodicity of such events is real).
So no, we are not due again just yet.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holocene_extinction
31 Mar 16
1 edit
Originally posted by DeepThoughtClearly that one is not due to periodic causes.
As a matter of fact...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holocene_extinction
Some other mass extinctions such as the Great Oxygenation Event were also not periodic and were one off events:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Oxygenation_Event