London, Nov 5 : Scientists have found the evidence of explosion of a supernova during the Pilocene era from ancient sea floor sediments lying at the bottom of the ocean.

The Pliocene epoch is the period in the geologic timescale that extends from 5.332 million to 1.806 million years before present.

"Levels of radioactive iron-60 suggest that the supernova was between 60 and 300 light years away," said Brian Fields of the University of Illinois.  "It didn't hit us or we wouldn't be here," he added.

This clearly points out to the fact that this supernova might have caused a minor extinction event on Earth.

"Radiation from the blast could have weakened Earth's atmosphere, he says, exposing organisms to the sun's ultraviolet radiation. This coincides with an extinction peak," said Fields.

But scientists say that there is no direct evidence of a link between the supernova and any minor extinction episode.