Download Geologic Timeline Events and Dates

4.6 gA
Formation of the solar system (including Earth)
PRECAMBRIAN TIME (ERA) BEGINS – HADEAN EON BEGINS
3.9 gA
ARCHEOZOIC (ARCHEAN) EON BEGINS
Atmosphere similar to Miller-Urey Experiment
3.5 gA
Earliest evidence of life: Bacteria in oceans
3.0 gA
Earliest Photosynthetic bacteria in oceans
2.5 gA
PROTEROZOIC EON BEGINS
2.1 gA
Earliest macroscopic organisms -
1.5 gA
Earliest cells with a nucleus (Eukaryotes)
630 mA
Earliest Multicellular animals (in oceans)
540 mA
PRECAMBRIAN TIME ENDS/ PALEOZOIC ERA BEGIN
“Cambrian Explosion” of life - many new forms of life in oceans;
most present phyla develop/originate
“Age of Invertebrates”
500 mA
First fish (jawless fish appear)
440 mA
First Mass Extinction of Life
400 mA
First Fish with Jaws/ Ozone Layer forms in atmosphere
380 mA
First Insects
350 mA
First Amphibians
300 mA
First Reptiles
240 mA
Second Mass Extinction: 96% loss of species
225 mA
PALEOZOIC ERA ENDS/ MESOZOIC ERA BEGINS
220 mA
First Dinosaurs
200 mA
First Mammals/ Pangaea breaking up
150 mA
First Birds
140 mA
First Flowering Plants
100 mA
Rocky Mountains forming
65 mA
Last Mass Extinction: Dinosaurs
65 mA
MESOZOIC ERA ENDS/ CENOZOIC ERA BEGINS
40 mA
Earliest Primates
5 mA
Earliest “man-like” mammals
3 mA
N. & S. America joined by Central America
2 mA
Early Man in Africa & other parts of the World