Extinction

In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms (taxon), normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point. Because a species' potential range may be very large, determining this moment is difficult, and is usually done retrospectively. This difficulty leads to phenomena such as Lazarus taxa, where a species presumed extinct abruptly "reappears" (typically in the fossil record) after a period of apparent absence.

The age of the Earth is about 4.54 billion years. The earliest undisputed evidence of life on Earth dates at least from 3.5 billion years ago, during the Eoarchean Era after a geological crust started to solidify following the earlier molten Hadean Eon. There are microbial mat fossils found in 3.48 billion-year-old sandstone discovered in Western Australia. Earlier physical evidences of life include graphite, a biogenic substance, in 3.7 billion-year-old metasedimentary rocks discovered in southwestern Greenland, as well as, "remains of biotic life" found in 4.1 billion-year-old rocks in Western Australia. According to one of the researchers, "If life arose relatively quickly on Earth ... then it could be common in the universe."

Extinction (Forgotten Realms novel)

Extinction is a fantasy novel by Lisa Smedman. It is the fourth book of the Forgotten Realms series, War of the Spider Queen hexalogy. Like other books in the series, it is based on characters from the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.

Plot summary

Pharaun summons Jeggred's father, the demon Belshazu, and interrogates him to find a portal to the Abyss. Belshazu tries to escape, and during the commotion, Ryld Argith and Halisstra Melarn leave the party to pursue their own ends among the surface. Pharaun successfully binds the demon, and learns there is a demon ship that sails on the plane of shadow, and can take them to the Abyss. The party then journeys to an aboleth-filled lake to find this ship, and Quenthel Baenre and Pharaun both devise schemes to get rid of the other. Neither are successful, and they eventually find the ship.

Meanwhile, back in Menzoberranzan, duergar and tanarukks are attacking, led again by Nimor Imphraezl. Gromph Baenre awakens in a cave nearby, trapped in a small sphere, but with the help of his familiar escapes. He is captured by an Illithid, but by using his cunning drow intellect he is able to defeat the foe. He finds an amulet of light and binds it to Nimor, trapping him in the Shadow Plane.

Smallville (season 3)

Season three of Smallville, an American television series, began airing on October 1, 2003. The series recounts the early adventures of Kryptonian Clark Kent as he adjusts to life in the fictional town of Smallville, Kansas, during the years before he becomes Superman. The third season comprises 22 episodes and concluded its initial airing on May 19, 2004. Regular cast members during season three include Tom Welling, Kristin Kreuk, Michael Rosenbaum, Sam Jones III, Allison Mack, John Glover, Annette O'Toole and John Schneider.

Season three follows Clark's constant fight against the destiny that his biological father, Jor-El, has in-store for him, and his guilt over the price Jonathan paid to bring him back to Smallville. Lex deals with the psychological breakdown he had when stranded on a deserted island, while the conflict between him and his father comes to a final blow. Clark's secret begins to weigh heavily on Pete, and the relationship between Clark and Lana hits a dead end. Writers also brought in several DC Comics characters, Maggie Sawyer, Morgan Edge, and most notably Perry White, in special guests spots.