Unexplainable The trees of death
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Dec 3, 2025 In this intriguing discussion, Charles Ver Straeten, a curator of sedimentary rocks, and Thomas Algeo, a geochemistry professor, explore the ancient forests that may have triggered a major mass extinction. They unravel how early trees transformed ecosystems and altered climates, possibly leading to oceanic crises. The guests share insights on the evolution of land plants, the Devonian plant explosion, and the link between ancient soil formation and today's environmental challenges, drawing compelling parallels to current ecological shifts.
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Discovering 385-Million-Year-Old Tree Footprints
- Charles Ver Straeten describes finding root impressions that marked where trees stood 385 million years ago in a quarry.
- He and colleagues traced meandering gutters to map an entire Devonian forest on the quarry floor.
Cairo Quarry: The Oldest Forest View
- Charles Ver Straeten and team point to the Cairo site as the oldest place where you can map full forests from tree-to-tree.
- The site offers an unparalleled view of the Devonian when life first colonized land at large scale.
Forests Radically Altered Ancient Atmosphere
- The Devonian plant explosion transformed atmosphere and climate by pulling down CO2 and boosting oxygen.
- Trees may have lowered CO2 by up to ~90% and nearly doubled oxygen, pushing Earth toward ice-age conditions.