Nature Geoscience, Published online: 21 July 2026; doi:10.1038/s41561-026-02058-2

Most major mass extinctions in Earth history are linked to greenhouse gas emissions causing warmer and drier climates. Research shows these perturbations also led to widespread wildfires and the expansion of fern savannahs during one of the most acute events at the end of the Triassic period, potentially holding lessons for the future.