The end-Permian great extinction

The end-Permian great extinction wiped out nearly all life on Earth, after 300,000 years of super volcanoes had caused great but lesser disaster, when hot magma set huge underground fossil fuel deposits on fire. The resulting CO2 is what caused almost total extinction.

We are emitting CO2 much faster than the Earth can recycle it. By continuing that for a long enough time, we might cause another almost total extinction.

To cause an event at the usual level of mass extinction, like the one that wiped out the dinosaurs, pterosaurs and trilobites, is much easier. Some mammals might survive after that.

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