25 biggest turning points in Earth’s history
The BBC have an excellent interactive info-graphic detailing the “25 biggest turning points in Earth’s history“. From leaps forward in evolution to devastating asteroid impacts, these were the turning points that shaped our world. The 25 milestones are:
Our planet has existed for 4.5 billion years, and it has been a busy few eons. Here are the 25 biggest milestones in Earth's history. From leaps forward in evolution to devastating asteroid impacts, these were the turning points that shaped our world.
- The Earth is born 4.5 billion years ago.
- The origin of life 4 – 3.5 billion years ago.
- Life harnesses the power of sunlight 3.4 billion years ago.
- The beginnings of plate tectonics 3 billion years ago?
- The great oxidation event 2.4 billion years ago.
- Endosymbiosis 2 – 1 billion years ago.
- The first sex 1.2 billion years ago?
- Multicellular life 1 billion years ago?
- Snowball Earth 850 – 635 million years ago.
- The Cambrian Explosion 535 million years ago.
- Plants colonise the land 465 million years ago.
- The first mass extinction 460 – 430 million years ago.
- Fish that walk on land 375 million years ago.
- Dawn of the reptiles 320 million years ago.
- Pangaea 300 million years ago.
- The great dying 252 million years ago.
- The first mammals 220 million years ago.
- The Triassic extinction 201 million years ago.
- The first birds 160 million years ago.
- Flowers flower 130 million years ago.
- Death of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.
- The first primates evolve 60 – 55 million years ago.
- Supercharged plants 32 – 25 million years ago.
- The first hominins 13 – 7 million years ago.
- The human race 200,000 years ago.
It’s a fascinating list of the history of our world over 4.5 billion years. What will the future hold? Onwards!
