The Permian Extinction: When Life Nearly Died
The Ancients18 Sep 2025

The Permian Extinction: When Life Nearly Died

It was the biggest mass extinction event in Earth’s history. 250 million years ago, a 252 million years ago, Earth faced its deadliest crisis. 97% of all life was wiped out in the Permian Extinction – a cataclysm so severe it’s known as The Great Dying.


In this episode of The Ancients, the fourth and final part of our Great Disasters miniseries, Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Michael Benton to uncover the full story of this mass extinction. From the rich and bizarre world of Permian creatures to the apocalyptic events that triggered their downfall, discover how just 3% of life clung on and how their survival paved the way for the rise of the dinosaurs.


MORE

Rise of the Dinosaurs

Origins of Life of Earth


Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan and the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds

The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.


Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.


You can take part in our listener survey here:

https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Avsnitt(597)

Moses & The Exodus

Moses & The Exodus

The story of Moses and the Exodus is one of the oldest and most well known in history. It is full of instantly recognisable episodes like the parting of the Red Sea, the ten plagues of Egypt, and the ...

12 Juni 202444min

The Parthians

The Parthians

The Parthians were heavyweights of ancient Mesopotamia. Hailing from what is now modern day Iran, they charged onto the scene by destroying the Seleucid Empire and became one of Rome’s most formidable...

9 Juni 202454min

Noah's Ark and the Flood

Noah's Ark and the Flood

The Ancients launches a new miniseries exploring the stories, people, objects and kingdoms central to the Old Testament's narrative. There was only one place to start and it's not "In the beginning......

5 Juni 202459min

The Fall of Mark Antony: From Caesar to Cleopatra

The Fall of Mark Antony: From Caesar to Cleopatra

After the death of his patron Julius Caesar, the Roman world was Mark Antony’s for the taking. His triumph over Caesar’s assassins at Phillipi in 42 BC only served to cement his legendary status as Ro...

2 Juni 202445min

The Rise of Mark Antony

The Rise of Mark Antony

Mark Antony; the headstrong bad boy, a feared commander, lover and traitor memorably depicted by Richard Burton. His story is intertwined with some of ancient history's biggest names such as Julius Ca...

30 Maj 202442min

Hadrian's Wall

Hadrian's Wall

It's the most famous Roman frontier in the world. A massive c.13-foot high wall that spanned the length of northern Britain, dividing the empire between Roman and 'barbarian' land. But how was it buil...

25 Maj 202451min

Spartacus: Life or Legend

Spartacus: Life or Legend

‘I am Spartacus!’ In the field of epic film making, the 1960 historical drama ‘Spartacus’ is legendary. Directed by Stanley Kubrick, and starring Kirk Douglas and Laurence Olivier, it is undoubtedly a...

22 Maj 202447min

Dionysus: God of Wine

Dionysus: God of Wine

Dionysus. He's known as the party God of ancient Greece who you never wanted to cross. Associated with theatre, mysterious cults and even, on one occasion, turning pirates into dolphins. But who exact...

19 Maj 202454min

Populärt inom Historia

motiv
massmordarpodden
historiska-brott
p3-historia
olosta-mord
historiepodden-se
historianu-med-urban-lindstedt
rss-massmordarpodden
rss-seriemordarpodden
krigshistoriepodden
podme-bio-4
rss-brottsligt
konspirationsteorier
harrisons-dramatiska-historia
rss-arkiv-stieg
rss-borgvattnets-hemligheter
oppet-fall
nu-blir-det-historia
vetenskapsradion-historia
rss-historien-om