Prehistoric Supernovae Explosions May Have Contributed To Mini Mass Extinction On Earth

  • 8 years ago
New research suggests that supernovae explosions that occurred millions of years ago and 300 light years away may have had a significant impact on Earth.

In April, scientists presented compelling evidence that millions of years ago and 300 light years away, two supernovae explosions occurred. 

Now, a related research endeavor conducted by an international team suggests that despite the great distance of the dramatic events, cosmic radiation produced by them may have had a significant impact on Earth. 

The doses experienced by our planet’s living creatures were likely enough to speed up the mutations of cancer cells and could explain a mass extinction, albeit a minor one, that occurred roughly 2 ½ million years ago. 

Radiation lingering in the environment may have also greatly influenced climate change. 

Said one of the study’s authors, “…around this time Africa dried out, and a lot of the forest turned into savannah. Around this time and afterwards, we started having glaciations — ice ages — over and over again, and it’s not clear why that started to happen. It’s controversial, but maybe cosmic rays had something to do with it.”  

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