That Time It Rained for Two Million Years
PBS Eons・9 minutes read
Earth 250 million years ago was hot, flat, and dry, but the Carnian Pluvial Episode brought intense rain for two million years, leading to the rise of dinosaurs and permanent impacts on the climate and ecosystem. The sudden wet climate favored dinosaurs over competitors like rhynchosaurs and dicynodonts, ending the dominance of other species in the Triassic world.
Insights
- The Carnian Pluvial Episode, characterized by intense rain for two million years starting around 234 million years ago, led to the rise of dinosaurs due to the proliferation of giant plants that favored them over other competitors.
- Evidence of the permanent impacts of the Carnian Pluvial Episode is found in the diversification of conifers and the dominance of dinosaurs in the Triassic world, showcasing how a sudden wet climate shift shaped the course of evolution on Earth.
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Recent questions
How was Earth's climate 250 million years ago?
Earth was hot, flat, and dry due to volcanic eruptions and the supercontinent of Pangea hindering rain clouds, resulting in a dry environment.
What event led to the rise of dinosaurs?
The Carnian Pluvial Episode, with intense rain for two million years around 234 million years ago, led to the rise of dinosaurs due to increased moisture.
What evidence supports the dry climate during the Triassic?
Evidence of the dry climate at the start of the Triassic is found in red sandstones and soil deposits, caused by Pangea's shape hindering rain clouds.
Which species coexisted with dinosaurs in the Triassic?
Early reptiles and mammal ancestors coexisted with dinosaurs like crurotarsans, Ornithosuchus, and rhynchosaurs in the dry environment of the Triassic period.
What caused the end of the wet period during the Carnian Pluvial Episode?
The rise in atmospheric moisture during the Carnian Humid Episode, caused by volcanic activity, eventually stabilized, leading to the end of the wet period and the dominance of dinosaurs in the Triassic world.
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Summary
00:00
"Triassic Earth: From Dry to Dinosaur Dominance"
- Earth 250 million years ago was hot, flat, and dry due to volcanic eruptions and the supercontinent of Pangea.
- The Carnian Pluvial Episode, starting around 234 million years ago, brought intense rain for two million years, leading to the rise of dinosaurs.
- Evidence of the dry climate at the start of the Triassic is found in red sandstones and soil deposits due to Pangea's shape hindering rain clouds.
- Early reptiles and mammal ancestors coexisted with dinosaurs like crurotarsans, Ornithosuchus, and rhynchosaurs in the dry environment.
- The sudden wet climate during the Carnian Pluvial Episode was evidenced by rocks worldwide, indicating floods every year for two million years.
- The increase in rainfall led to a proliferation of giant plants, favoring dinosaurs over competitors like rhynchosaurs and dicynodonts.
- The rise in atmospheric moisture during the Carnian Humid Episode, caused by volcanic activity, eventually stabilized, ending the wet period.
- The impacts of the Carnian Pluvial Episode were permanent, leading to the diversification of conifers and the dominance of dinosaurs in the Triassic world.
