A Timeline of Life on Earth
The history of the planet in years...
- 4.6 billion years ago – the origin of Earth
- 3.8 billion years ago – first life appears on Earth
- 2.1 billion years ago – lifeforms made up of multiple cells evolve
- 1.5 billion years ago – eukaryotes, which are cells that contain a nucleus inside of their membranes, emerge
- 550 million years ago – first arthropods evolve
- 530 million years ago – first fish appear
- 470 million years ago – first land plants appear
- 380 million years ago – forests emerge on Earth
- 370 million years ago – first amphibians emerge from the water onto land
- 320 million years ago – earliest reptiles evolve
- 230 million years ago – dinosaurs evolve
- 200 million years ago – mammals appear
- 150 million years ago – earliest birds evolve
- 130 million years ago – first flowering plants
- 100 million years ago – earliest bees
- 55 million years ago – hares and rabbits appear
- 30 million years ago – first cats evolve
- 20 million years ago – great apes evolve
- 7 million years ago –first human ancestors appear
- 2 million years ago – Homo erectus appears
- 300,000 years ago – Homo sapiens evolves
- 50,000 years ago – Eurasia and Oceania colonised
- 40,000 years ago – Neandethal extinction