The Ancients

The Permian Extinction: When Life Nearly Died


Listen Later

It was the biggest mass extinction event in Earth’s history. 250 million years ago, a 252 million years ago, Earth faced its deadliest crisis. 97% of all life was wiped out in the Permian Extinction – a cataclysm so severe it’s known as The Great Dying.


In this episode of The Ancients, the fourth and final part of our Great Disasters miniseries, Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Michael Benton to uncover the full story of this mass extinction. From the rich and bizarre world of Permian creatures to the apocalyptic events that triggered their downfall, discover how just 3% of life clung on and how their survival paved the way for the rise of the dinosaurs.


MORE

Rise of the Dinosaurs

Origins of Life of Earth


Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan and the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds

The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.


Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. 


You can take part in our listener survey here:

https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The AncientsBy History Hit

  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3

4.3

12 ratings


More shows like The Ancients

View all
In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,465 Listeners

History Extra podcast by Immediate Media

History Extra podcast

3,220 Listeners

In Our Time: History by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: History

1,886 Listeners

The History of Egypt by Dominic Perry

The History of Egypt

1,843 Listeners

Dan Snow's History Hit by History Hit

Dan Snow's History Hit

4,771 Listeners

Historic Royal Palaces Podcast by Historic Royal Palaces

Historic Royal Palaces Podcast

450 Listeners

The English Heritage Podcast by English Heritage

The English Heritage Podcast

227 Listeners

History of the World podcast by Chris Hasler

History of the World podcast

901 Listeners

The Ancients by History Hit

The Ancients

3,172 Listeners

The Rest Is History by Goalhanger

The Rest Is History

14,012 Listeners

Gone Medieval by History Hit

Gone Medieval

1,822 Listeners

Not Just the Tudors by History Hit

Not Just the Tudors

2,017 Listeners

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society by History Hit

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society

1,310 Listeners

Echoes of History by History Hit & Assassin's Creed

Echoes of History

271 Listeners

After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal by History Hit

After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal

1,011 Listeners