10/07/2026 22:37 - Otros
According to a recent study published on July 10, 2026, in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the answer to survival in the past could be the key to protecting our future.
Happening 252 million years ago at the end of the Permian period, Earth faced the largest known mass extinction. This event, often called the 'Great Dying', wiped out approximately 90% of marine species and 70% of terrestrial vertebrates. Coral reefs disappeared, and ecosystems took between five and ten million years to recover. The main cause, according to the scientific community, was the gigantic volcanic eruptions of the Siberian Traps, which expelled massive amounts of carbon dioxide, triggering extreme global warming.
When water temperatures rise, the metabolism of animals accelerates, requiring more oxygen. However, warm water retains less dissolved oxygen. This creates a crisis where organisms need more oxygen just when the environment offers them less.
Led by Erik A. Sperling, the research team could not measure the metabolism of extinct animals directly. Instead, they turned to their modern descendants. They analyzed ancient groups like brachiopods and crinoids, comparing them with modern bivalves and gastropods through respirometry experiments.
The results demonstrated that Paleozoic fauna was much more vulnerable to the combination of high temperatures and oxygen scarcity. Their capacity to breathe determined their fate.
Although studying the past might seem like looking far away, this discovery has direct implications for current climate change. Understanding how biodiversity responded to extreme warming provides invaluable tools to anticipate and mitigate the effects on our oceans today.
The great difference is that, unlike 252 million years ago, today's science can identify these processes as they happen, giving us the opportunity to act and protect marine life for future generations.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
