HISTORY
OF
EARTH
TIMELINE:
THE HISTORY
OF EARTH
TIMELINE:
THE HISTORY OF EARTH
4.5 billion years ago - 541
million years ago
• Formation of Earth:
• Early Conditions:
• Emergence of Life:
TIMELINE:
THE HISTORY OF EARTH
Paleozoic Era
541 million years ago -
252 million years ago
•Cambrian Explosion:
•Development of Fish and
Amphibians:
•Rise of Reptiles:
TIMELINE:
THE HISTORY OF EARTH
Mesozoic Era
252 million years ago - 66
million years ago
•Age of Dinosaurs:
•Rise of Birds and
Mammals:
•End-Cretaceous Extinction:
TIMELINE:
THE HISTORY OF EARTH
Cenozoic Era
66 million years ago -
present
• Age of Mammals:
• Rise of Homo erectus and
Homo sapiens:
4.5 BILLION
YEARS AGO
During this time, it was extremely
inhospitable, featuring conditions that
resembled a nightmarish landscape. Instead
of the familiar features we see today, the
Earth's surface was a seething sea of
molten rock, with radioactive elements
present everywhere.
The duration of a day at this time was just
about 6 hours.
Also, during this time, it was impossible to
see any living things on Earth.
• High Temperatures: Early Earth was extremely hot, with surface temperatures reaching
thousands of degrees Celsius.
• Molten Surface: The entire surface of early Earth was molten for a period of time, a state known
as the "magma ocean."
• Intense Volcanic Activity: Volcanic activity was rampant, releasing gasses like water vapor,
carbon dioxide, methane, and ammonia into the atmosphere.
• No Oxygen: The atmosphere of early Earth lacked significant amounts of oxygen (O2).
• Intense Radiation: There was no protective ozone layer during this time, so the surface of early
Earth was exposed to intense ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the Sun, which could have been
harmful to any emerging life forms.
• Frequent Meteorite Impacts: Early Earth experienced a high frequency of meteorite impacts, which would
have caused significant geological disturbances and environmental challenges.
• No Liquid Water: The surface temperature was initially too high for liquid water to exist, so water mainly
existed in the form of steam and ice.
4.1 BILLION
YEARS AGO
Late Heavy Bombardment struck Earth, subjecting it to a
relentless onslaught of asteroids. Curiously, despite the
extreme temperatures, it was these asteroids that gradually
facilitated the accumulation of water on the planet's
surface.
This event led to around half of the Earth's water
originating from space over billions of years.
3.8 BILLION
YEARS AGO
The Earth's temperature began to decrease slowly.
However, the conditions were still uninhabitable for
current forms of life due to the absence of oxygen
in the atmosphere and the lack of an ozone layer
to shield against ultraviolet radiation.
Nevertheless, fossils dating back around 3.5 billion
years suggest that life might have emerged much
earlier than previously believed.
3.2 BILLION TO
2.8 BILLION
YEARS AGO
The vast shallow ocean covered most of the
Earth's surface, with temperatures ranging from
55 to 88 degrees Celsius. Microorganisms had
already started populating these hot waters,
while the land was dominated by volcanic
islands that gradually expanded.
1.5 BILLION
YEARS AGO
Despite the absence of complex organisms,
the movement of lithospheric plates
continued, leading to the formation of
another supercontinent called
"RODINIA" after 400 million years.
Earth's days had extended to at least 16
hours.
650 MILLION
YEARS AGO
The planet entered what is known as the
"SNOWBALL EARTH" theory, suggesting that
Earth was entirely covered in ice, including at the
equator.
However, volcanic activity and carbon dioxide
emissions gradually melted the ice, releasing
oxygen and triggering significant planetary
changes.
541 MILLION
YEARS AGO
"CAMBRIAN EXPLOSION" occurred, marked by a
rise in temperatures to 30 degrees Celsius and an
unprecedented surge in oxygen levels.
The event was characterized by the appearance of many
of the major phyla (between 20 and 35) that make up
modern animal life.
Approximately 450 million years ago, plants and
arthropods began their conquest of land, with insects
making their appearance around 419 million years ago.
The length of the day now reached 22 hours.
252 MILLION
YEARS AGO
"PERMIAN TRIASSIC EXTINCTION“
happened. This event was likely caused by numerous
volcanic eruptions,
The Permian Triassic extinction event destroyed
96% of marine species and 73% of terrestrial
vertebrate species.
Despite this catastrophe, the era of dinosaurs
began, as they replaced the lost species.
175 MILLION
YEARS AGO
The supercontinent Pangaea started
breaking apart, leading to the formation
of oceans and continents more similar to
what we see today.
Pine trees, mantises, and bees emerged
during this time.
So by the Jurassic Period, about 199 to 145
million years ago, huge herbivorous dinosaurs
were roaming the Earth; smaller, mean-as-crap
carnivorous dinos were stalking the herbivores.
50 MILLION
YEARS AGO
Mammals took the lead following the Decline
of Dinosaurs. This era witnessed the
dominance of mammals as they spread across
the globe and underwent significant
evolutionary developments
Days extended to nearly 24 hours.
8 TO 4 MILLION
YEARS AGO
A divergence occurred, separating modern
apes from our ancestors. About 4 million
years ago, a shift in climate gradually
transformed dense forests into savannas,
prompting our distant ancestors to leave
the trees, stand upright, and seek
sustenance. During this period, only humans
managed to adapt successfully.
Homo erectus began colonizing Eurasia about
1.4 million years ago, already mastering the use
of fire by 790 thousand years ago.
Homo sapiens, reasoning humans, emerged
around 300 thousand years ago and rapidly
populated the Earth. Approximately 130
thousand years ago, the population of our
ancestors ranged from 100,000 to 300,000
individuals. About 40 thousand years ago,
reasoning humans had spread across most of
the planet.
SOURCES:
• https://opengeology.org/historicalgeology/a-brief-history-of-earth/
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBs2-J6k8vM
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LinWJsangs4
• https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20220126-is-the-pilbara-the-oldest-place-on-earth#:~:
text=Dating%20to%20 around%203.6%20 billion,of%20the%20Earth's%20oldest%20lif
eforms
.
• https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/news/re-thinking-a-critical-period-in-earths-history/#:~:te
xt=The%20Late%20Heavy%20Bombardment%20(LHB,roughly%204%20billion%20years
%20ago
• https://www.lpi.usra.edu/science/kring/epo_web/impact_cratering/origin_of_life/index
.html#:~:text=We%20know%20that%20life%20began,rocks%20while%20making%20ne
w%20ones
• https://journalhow.com/evolution-of-life-on-earth-timeline/
