# Vast new fossil record challenges story of Earth’s ‘big five’ mass extinctions

A large new fossil record reported by Nature challenges the traditional account of Earth’s “big five” mass extinctions. The findings may revise how scientists understand the scale, timing, and patterns of ancient biodiversity crises.

**Importance:** 3/5

## Sources

### Science
- [Nature](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-03316-4) — 2026-10-20