Reassessing gas generation from oil thermal cracking associated with the Emeishan Large Igneous Province

During a critical period in Earth’s history, global warming and a major mass extinction occurred approximately 260 million years ago, sparking debates about their causes. One study proposed that these events were driven by methane emissions from the Emeishan Large Igneous Province (ELIP), a volcanic region in China. However, our research challenges this explanation, showing that the methane emissions were likely much smaller than previously thought and questioning the reliability of key assumptions in the study. This suggests that other factors, rather than ELIP-related methane, played a larger role in triggering this ancient environmental crisis.