# Extinction

When no living members of a species remain anywhere on Earth.

Biology (school) · Part 06: Variation and evolution · Card 8 of 11 · Last updated 2026-10-19

## Analogy

The last copy of a book being destroyed.

## In practice

The dodo became extinct after humans arrived on Mauritius and hunted it and brought new animals.

## Practice

### Flashcards

- **Name two causes of extinction.** Habitat loss and new predators, diseases or competitors.

### Interview questions

**What evidence supports evolution?**

- Fossils show gradual change over time
- Antibiotic-resistant bacteria evolve quickly
- Similar DNA in related species
- Extinct species found only in older rock layers

## Questions people ask

### What causes species to go extinct?

Causes include changes to the environment such as climate change, a new predator or disease, competition from other species, habitat destruction and over-hunting. Natural events like volcanoes or asteroid impacts have caused mass extinctions in the past. Today human activity is a major cause.

### How were the dinosaurs wiped out?

Most scientists think a large asteroid hit Earth about 66 million years ago. The impact threw dust into the air, blocking sunlight and changing the climate, and food chains collapsed. Evidence includes a layer of rare metal in rocks from that time and a huge crater in Mexico.

## Related concepts

- [Evolution](https://studyvisually.com/learn/science/biology-school/biology-school-part-6/biology-school-part-6-concept-5)
- [Fossil](https://studyvisually.com/learn/science/biology-school/biology-school-part-6/biology-school-part-6-concept-7)
- [Natural selection](https://studyvisually.com/learn/science/biology-school/biology-school-part-6/biology-school-part-6-concept-3)
- [Adaptation](https://studyvisually.com/learn/science/biology-school/biology-school-part-6/biology-school-part-6-concept-4)

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