Evolutionary catastrophes

by V. Courtillot

"Science is not a democracy, and there is no room for political compromise," writes rankel in reference to the raging debate over what caused the extinction of the dinosaurs. In one camp are the catastrophists, led by the discoveries of Walter and Louis Alvarez, who believe that a meteor impact was the cause; in the opposite corner, led by Courtillot (geophysics, Univ. of Paris), are the gradualists, who believe that dinosaur extinction was caused by long periods of intense volcanism." Library Journal.