The Last Extinction: The Real Science Behind the Death of the Dinosaurs

Geologist Keller debuts with a scathing and illuminating examination of scientific research into what caused the demise of the dinosaurs. She notes that for years, much of the scientific community and the popular press accepted the idea that a meteor colliding with the Earth was responsible for the planet’s fifth mass extinction. Keller, however, had her doubts, and worked tirelessly to gather data from field sites in Mexico, India, Morocco, and elsewhere. Her results are shocking, and in her telling, demonstrate that the mass extinction was in fact due to climate change arising from volcanic activity in India’s Deccan Traps. Furthermore, she argues that the meteor in question hit the Earth approximately 200 thousand years before the mass extinction, and the iridium layer attributed to the meteorite actually came from terrestrial sources. Keller chronicles the harsh treatment she faced from colleagues over her theory, and shows that the controversy has implications for the contemporary climate crisis. Throughout, she’s a convincing and impassioned narrator, noting, “It takes time to correct a myth that has been spread for nearly forty-five years, especially one as entertaining as the impact theory.” This makes a mark. (Sept.)