Take a journey through the time tunnel, tracing the history of life and our planet from its origins to the present. Stop off at the main evolutionary episodes and discover what the Earth was like when the first living beings appeared.
Origins of the Universe and the Earth: from 13,800 to 3,800 million years ago
A huge explosion leads to the creation of the Universe and the formation of the Solar System. The Earth and Moon are formed and the first atmosphere surrounding the Earth develops.
Archaean: from 3,800 to 2,500 million years ago
The formation of Ur, the first continent, and the emergence of the prokaryotic cell, the first life form. The first living things on Earth –bacteria– appear.
Proterozoic: from 2,500 to 542 million years ago
The continents form. The eukaryotic cell –the precursor of multicellular life forms– appears, and life diversifies. The first fungi, protists and ancestors of plants appear.
Lower Palaeozoic: from 542 to 359 million years ago
The great mountain ranges are formed and significant climatic changes occur. Explosion of life in the oceans. Molluscs become more complex and adapt to different habitats. The first arthropods and first aquatic vertebrates appear.
Upper Palaeozoic: from 359 to 251 million years ago
The continents join to form the super-continent Pangaea. Oxygen levels in the atmosphere increase. Some life forms leave the water and take to the land. The first plants and first land bound vertebrates appear.
Mesozoic: from 251 to 65 million years ago
The huge continent Pangaea splits up into smaller continents. Marine invertebrates diversify significantly. Dinosaurs and the first birds appear. The first flowering plants appear. A massive extinction occurs, wiping out 75% of all species.
Cenozoic: from 65 to 0 million years ago
The continents move to their present positions. The Alpine orogeny commences and the great mountain ranges appear (Himalayas, Atlas, Rif, Baetic, Pyrenees, Apennines, Alps, Balkans and Carpathians). The Mediterranean Sea is also formed. This is a period of vast fluctuations in temperature and of ice ages. Mammals occupy most of the continents. The first primates appear, an evolutionary line that will lead to the origin of today’s humans.