extinction level event
Species-ending disaster scenario
An extinction level event is a catastrophe severe enough to wipe out most life on Earth—asteroid impacts, supervolcanic eruptions, or runaway climate change.
The term gained currency after scientists linked the dinosaur extinction to an asteroid strike.
Used loosely for any disaster of overwhelming magnitude: This quarterly report is an extinction level event for my career.
- climate changePlanetary atmospheric transformation
- catastropheDevastating, large-scale misfortune
- ice ageEra of massive glaciation
- nuclear winterWartime cooling catastrophe
- volcanoEarth's fiery vent
nuclear war · nuclear holocaust · bioterrorism · asteroid · planet killer · megatsunami · ocean acidification · deforestation · pandemic · apocalypse · global warming · alien invasion · existential risk · solar flare · overpopulation · point of no return · civilization collapse · biodiversity loss
extinction level eventCambrian explosion
Sudden appearance of complex life
origin of life · population explosion · abiogenesis · biogenesis · flourishing
extinction level eventpreservation
Maintaining something's condition
survival · continuity · persistence · stability · equilibrium
extinction, extinctions, extinct, extinguish, extinguished, extinguishing, extinguisher, extinguishers, level