The mass extinction of species that occurred 200 million years ago as a result of volcanic eruptions serves as a clear warning for us to be cautious today as the climate is warming everywhere.

The mass extinction, which "took with it" around 76% of land and water-dwelling creatures, was likely caused by climate change, which in turn was stimulated by the release of large volumes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere as a result of widespread volcanic eruptions.

Manfredo Capriolo, a researcher at the University of Padua and co-author of the study, told The Guardian that "this crisis wiped out nearly half of the species existing at the time".

Researchers have concluded that the carbon dioxide emissions released into the atmosphere by volcanic eruptions at that time are equivalent to the emissions that could be generated by human activity throughout the entire 21st century (note: we are currently one-fifth of the way through the 21st century), assuming that the planet's temperature rises by 2 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial levels.