As long as I continue to post wildly off-topic posts, I thought that some of
you might enjoy watching this update tomorrow. It will be on NASA TV's web
site streaming video.

Wirt Atmar

=======================================

TRIGGER FOUND FOR LARGEST MASS EXTINCTION

What triggered Earth's most severe mass extinction? It was
an event more devastating than the one that wiped out the
dinosaurs 65 million years ago.

At a Space Science Update, now scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 22,
scientists will present new findings that provide evidence for
the Permian-Triassic extinction event, in which 90 percent of
the life on Earth was wiped out 250 million years ago.

The update will be held at 2:00 p.m. EST in the James E. Webb
Auditorium at NASA Headquarters, 300 E St. SW, Washington, DC.

The Space Science Update will be moderated by Dr. Michael
Meyer, Astrobiology Discipline Scientist, NASA Headquarters.
Other panelists include:

* Dr. Luann Becker, Department of Earth and Space Sciences,
University of Washington, Seattle

* Dr. Richard Bambach, Professor Emeritus of Paleontology,
Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg

* Dr. Christopher Chyba, Carl Sagan Chair for the Study of Life
in the Universe, SETI Institute, Mountain View, CA

* Dr. Robert Poreda, Associate Professor, Earth and
Environmental Sciences, University Of Rochester, NY

The Space Science Update will be carried live on NASA
Television with two-way question-and-answer capability for
reporters covering the briefing from participating NASA
centers.

NASA TV is broadcast on satellite GE-2, transponder 9C, at 85
degrees West longitude, vertical polarization, frequency 3880
MHz, audio of 6.8 MHz.

The briefing also will available on the Internet at:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv/ntvweb.html

========================================