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The greatest mass extinction episodes in Earth’s history occurred in the latter part of the Permian Period. Although much debate surrounds the timing of the Permian mass extinction, most scientists agree that the episode profoundly affected life on Earth by eliminating about half of all families, some 95 percent of marine species (nearly wiping out brachiopods and corals), and about 70 percent of land species. Many geologists and paleontologists maintain that the extinction events that took place during both the last stage of the Middle Permian Epoch and throughout the Late Permian Epoch, each apparently more severe than the previous ...(100 of 5525 words)