cenozoic
The most famous mass extinction was 65 million years ago. Between the Mesozoic Era and the Cenozoic Era, about 50% of all animal species died off. This mass extinction is when the dinosaurs became extinct. Most scientists think that the extinction was caused by a giant meteorite that struck Earth. The impact heated the atmosphere until it became as hot as a kitchen oven. Animals roasted. Dust flew into the atmosphere and blocked sunlight for a year or more. This caused a deep freeze and ended photosynthesis. Sulfur from the impact mixed with water in the atmosphere. The result was acid rain. The rain dissolved the shells of the tiny marine plankton that form the base of the food chain. With little food being produced, animals starved.