A NEW analysis of the fossil record casts doubt on the long-held assumption
that biodiversity has been steadily rising for millions of years. If the
findings are right, they could sink one of the major theories in the field of
palaeobiology.
Until now, most researchers accepted that biodiversity mushroomed after a
mass extinction 250 million years ago. But a new database of marine fossils
suggests that levels of biodiversity have actually stayed largely unchanged
since that time. The implications are huge, says John Alroy at the University of
California at Santa Barbara.
“Our results, if correct, could have big implications on how we understand…
