Vast coal forests covered the continents and atmospheric oxygen surged toward 35%, enabling giant insects. The amniotic egg evolved as Pangaea assembly and the Late Paleozoic Ice Age began.
Explore the Carboniferous Earth in 3D →From the mid-Carboniferous, multiple continents began colliding to form the supercontinent Pangaea. Continental collisions created massive mountain ranges and dramatically altered climate and ocean currents.
Giant ferns and lycopsids formed vast tropical forests, burying massive carbon. O₂ reached 35%, enabling giant insects. These plants became today's coal deposits.
The amniotic egg evolved, enabling reproduction without water. A crucial innovation allowing reptile and mammal ancestors to fully colonize inland habitats.
A ~50-million-year glaciation spanning the Carboniferous and early Permian. As Gondwana drifted over the South Pole, massive ice sheets formed across the southern hemisphere. Glacial sediments from this era are preserved in South Africa's Karoo Basin, India, and Australia.