Term | Definition |
13.7 billion years ago | Origin of the Universe (Big Bang Theory) |
4.6 billion years ago | Origin of the Earth (Solar Nebula Theory) based on the age of asteroids |
4.4 billion years ago | first surface water on Earth |
4.2 billion years ago | oldest known rocks (pieces of Zircon; inclusions inside other rocks) had to be water to move rocks |
4.0 billion years ago | oldest known rock group: Acasta Gneiss in Canada |
3.8 billion years ago | oldest known documented life: Archeabacter |
2.1 billion years ago | Last significant Banded Iron Formations (BIFs) significance: no free oxygen in the Earth's atmosphere |
1.9 billion years ago | First evidence of a multi-celled organism on Earth: red algae |
1.8 billion years ago | First formation of coninental red beds on Earth. Significance: free oxygen in the atmosphere |
1.1 billion years ago | First supercontinent forms on Earth: Rodinia |
750 million years ago | Snowball Earth Theory: Earth is encased in a ball of ice. Spike in ancient marine phosphorus concentration (from 750-635 MYA) linked to emergence of complex life. |
650 million years ago | Second supercontinent forms: Pannotia |
620 million years ago | Significant emergence of marine multi-celled organisms appear on Earth: Ediacaran Fauna |
560 million years ago | Oldest skeletonized organizm: Coronacollin acula |
545 million years ago | Most major phylum (body plans) are present on Earth |
444 million years ago | First major mass extinction even on the face of the Earth. End of Ordovician Event |
359 million years ago | Second major mass extinction even on the face of the Earth. End Devonian Event |
251 million years ago | 3rd major mass extinction event on the face of the Earth (greatest known mass extinction event in the history of the Earth) End Permien Event. Third supercontinent forms: Pangea |
200 million years ago | Fourth major mass extinction event on the face of the Earth: End Triassic Event. |
65.5 million years ago | End of Cretaceous Event. Complete demise of the dinosaur. |