Eons: How Plants Caused the First Mass Extinction
DCMP is transitioning to player-based accessibility features, allowing for customization of captions, description, language, and playback speed. Learn more about these features and how they can be beneficial in an educational setting.
Learn MoreIn the middle of the Cambrian, life on land was about to get a little more crowded. And those newcomers would end up changing the world. The arrival of plants on land would make the world colder, drain much of the oxygen out of the oceans, and eventually, it would help cause a massive extinction event. Part of the "Eons" series.
Media Details
Runtime: 10 minutes
- Topic: Science
- Subtopic: Earth Sciences, Plants, Prehistoric Life
- Grade/Interest Level: 10 - 12
- Release Year: 2020
- Producer/Distributor: PBS Digital Studios
- Series: Eons
Related Media

Eons: The History of Climate Cycles (and the Woolly Rhino) Explained

Eons: When the Synapsids Struck Back

Eons: When Ichthyosaurs Led a Revolution in the Seas

Eons: When Giant Deer Roamed Eurasia

Eons: Was This Dinosaur a Cannibal?

Eons: The Missing Link That Wasn’t

Eons: The Raptor That Made Us Rethink Dinosaurs

Eons: When Bats Took Flight

Eons: How Pterosaurs Got Their Wings

Eons: When Giant Lemurs Ruled Madagascar