Mass Extinction Events
Mass Extinction Events is a structured science dataset with 16 entries. Its fields include Event, When (mya), Species Lost (est.). The source values are preserved as a structured reference table.
Every row is shown below and is also available as CSV, JSON, or Excel.
Dataset details
- Table scope
- All 16 rows
- Fields
- 5 columns
- Source
- Not provided
- Data updated
- Apr 9, 2026
Included fields: Event, When (mya), Species Lost (est.), Likely Cause, Known For.
The table contains every record in this dataset; the same records are available in each download format.
Preview observations
No reliable range or grouping can be calculated from the loaded rows without interpreting the source data.
Useful for
- Comparing Event, When (mya), and Species Lost (est.) across science entries
- Building reference tables, charts, or analyses from 16 downloadable records
Event↕ | When (mya)↕ | Species Lost (est.)↕ | Likely Cause↕ | Known For↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
End-Ediacaran extinction | ~542 | Unknown, most Ediacaran biota | Oxygenation, predation, environmental change | Wiped out the strange soft-bodied Ediacaran fauna right before the Cambrian explosion |
Cambrian-Ordovician extinction | ~488 | ~40% genera | Cooling, anoxia | Ended the Cambrian, reset marine ecosystems |
Ordovician-Silurian extinction | ~445-444 | ~85% species | Glaciation and sea level drop | Second-largest mass extinction, triggered by sudden ice age and reef collapse |
Lau event | ~420 | Major reef losses | Ocean anoxia | One of several Silurian carbon-cycle perturbations |
Late Devonian (Kellwasser) | ~372 | ~75% species | Anoxia, cooling, land plant expansion | Crippled reef-building corals, started the 'Devonian reef gap' |
End-Devonian (Hangenberg) | ~359 | ~50% genera | Anoxia and sea level change | Wiped out placoderms (armored fish), reset vertebrate evolution |
Carboniferous rainforest collapse | ~305 | Massive plant turnover | Climate drying | Fragmented equatorial rainforests, set up reptile dominance |
End-Capitanian (Guadalupian) | ~260 | ~35-47% marine genera | Emeishan Traps volcanism | Pre-quel to the Great Dying, killed off huge brachiopods and reef fauna |
End-Permian ('Great Dying') | ~252 | ~96% marine species, ~70% terrestrial | Siberian Traps volcanism, CO2, anoxia | Largest extinction ever, came within a hair of ending complex life |
Triassic-Jurassic extinction | ~201 | ~80% species | Central Atlantic Magmatic Province volcanism | Cleared competitors from dinosaurs, enabling their dominance |
Toarcian extinction | ~183 | Major marine loss | Karoo-Ferrar volcanism, anoxia | Oceanic anoxic event, blackened ocean floors, hit marine invertebrates |
Cenomanian-Turonian event | ~94 | ~27% marine invertebrates | Ocean anoxia | Created widespread black shales that are now major oil source rocks |
Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) | ~66 | ~75% species, all non-avian dinosaurs | Chicxulub asteroid impact, Deccan Traps | The one that killed the dinosaurs, opened the way for mammals |
Eocene-Oligocene (Grande Coupure) | ~33.9 | Major European mammal turnover | Climate cooling, Antarctic glaciation | Birth of modern icehouse climate, major mammal faunal turnover |
Quaternary megafauna extinction | ~0.05-0.01 | Most large mammals in Americas, Australia | Climate change + human hunting | Wiped out mammoths, saber cats, giant ground sloths, thylacoleo |
Holocene (current) extinction | 0 to present | 100-1000x background rate | Human activity, habitat loss, climate change | Ongoing sixth mass extinction, driven entirely by humans |
Free to explore · No signup needed
Frequently asked questions
How is Mass Extinction Events organized?
The table starts in the source data's default order. You can sort and filter the loaded rows by the displayed fields.
How much data is available on this page?
This dataset contains 16 entries, and every row is available in the table and in the downloadable files.
Can I download the complete dataset?
Yes. CSV, JSON, and Excel downloads contain all 16 rows. Before republishing the data, review the source and any usage terms listed on this page; dtbse does not replace the original source's licensing terms.
Related Datasets
More in Science
Periodic Table Elements
All 118 chemical elements of the periodic table with symbols, categories, discoverers, and what each element is known for.
Dinosaur Species
The most famous dinosaurs that ever roamed Earth — from the mighty T-Rex to the towering Brachiosaurus.
Human Evolutionary Tree
The evolutionary lineage of Homo sapiens from the earliest possible hominins 7 million years ago to modern humans. Includes ancestors, cousin species, and extinct side branches with brain sizes, regions, and key traits.
Human Evolution — Complete Timeline of Hominin Species
Every known hominin species from Sahelanthropus tchadensis 7 million years ago to modern Homo sapiens. Includes brain sizes, height estimates, geographic range, tool use, and what makes each species significant in the story of human evolution. The most comprehensive hominin species list available as structured data.
Planets of the Solar System
All 8 planets of our solar system with type, distance from the Sun, diameter, moon count, and orbital period in Earth years.
Gemstones & Precious Stones
Popular gemstones and precious stones with their physical properties, primary sources, symbolism, and market value.
Famous Paradoxes in Mathematics & Logic
Banach-Tarski, Monty Hall, the Birthday Problem, Russell's Paradox — which mathematical paradox most defies your intuition?
Types of Historical Clock & Timekeeping
Sundials, water clocks, atomic clocks — which timekeeping invention was the most transformative?
Map Projections
Mercator, Robinson, Mollweide, Peters — which way of flattening the globe distorts reality the least?
Nobel Prize in Physics Winners
All Nobel Prize in Physics laureates with year and country.
Nobel Prize in Chemistry Winners
All Nobel Prize in Chemistry laureates with year and country.
Famous Thought Experiments in Physics
Schrödinger's Cat, the Twin Paradox, Maxwell's Demon, Einstein's Elevator — which physics thought experiment bends your mind the most?