This week, we feature a controversial theory about mass extinctions and a Charles Dickens novel he claimed was his favorite.
Science
‘The Last Extinction: ’
By Gerta KellerWhat killed the dinosaurs? Many believe an asteroid strike caused the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction, a theory (called the Alvarez hypothesis), originally posited in 1980. Gerta Keller, who holds doctorates in geology and paleontology, asserts that volcanic eruptions were the cause. Her findings upended the field and ignited a bitter feud, the “Dinosaur Wars.” She holds that massive volcanic eruptions in India, called Deccan volcanism, triggered a long-term catastrophe and Earth’s fifth mass extinction. A fascinating book, it looks at the nature of modern science.
