Short Wave Why Some Species Survive Mass Extinctions
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Nov 5, 2025 
Kemi Ashing-Giwa, a paleophysiology graduate student at Stanford, dives into the chilling details of The Great Dying, Earth's worst mass extinction. She reveals why some species, like bivalves, survived while others perished, discussing their unique adaptations to extreme conditions. Kemi also explains the role of sulfide and oxygen in their survival strategies and how modern climate challenges echo these ancient events. Plus, she shares how writing science fiction fuels her passion for research. A fascinating look at survival across epochs!
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Volcanic Climate Shock Behind The Great Dying
- The Siberian Traps eruptions drove global warming and ocean deoxygenation that triggered the End-Permian mass extinction.
- This catastrophe killed most species but left a small set of survivors, offering clues about resilience under extreme climate change.
Clams Survived Where Brachiopods Failed
- Bivalves (clams) thrived after the extinction while brachiopods mostly vanished despite similar lifestyles.
- Understanding why similar filter feeders had different fates helps reveal which physiological traits mattered under extreme stress.
Multiple Hypotheses Need Quantitative Tests
- Multiple mechanisms were proposed: thermal tolerance, oxygen tolerance, competition, and food quality.
- Paleophysiologists collect quantitative lab data to test which mechanisms actually explain survival differences.