The greatest mass extinction in Earths history happened some 251 million years a
go. In this cataclysm at least 90 per cent of life was killed, both on land and
in the sea, almost bringing evolution to a halt. What caused destruction on such
an unimaginable scale? Was it the impact of a huge meteorite, or prolonged volc
anic eruption in Siberia? In this acclaimed book, now updated to include the mos
t recent research and findings, Michael Benton assembles all the evidence and gi
ves his verdict.
