During the late Permian, the equator was dry and desert-like, yet surprisingly a hotspot for biodiversity, new paleontological research shows. Similarly to modern rainforests, equator ecosystems were home a unique diversity of species, including those both anciently and newly evolved. After the late Permian extinction, this diversity was decimated, and the climate change event that triggered an extinction back then is informative as we move forward with protecting our planet’s species diversity.
