Xinjiang Fossils Reveal a Post-Permian Extinction Refuge
2025-03-21
A new study reveals a fossil site in Xinjiang, China, documenting a life refuge following the end-Permian mass extinction. While about 21% of plant species went extinct, drought-resistant conifers and fern-like plants survived, allowing terrestrial ecosystems to recover within 75,000 years. The site yielded diverse plant spores and animal fossils, indicating a humid or sub-humid regional climate with abundant vegetation providing water and food for land animals. This challenges conventional understanding of post-extinction recovery speed, showcasing life's remarkable resilience.