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The History of Life on Earth

The History of Life on Earth. Formation of the Earth . Earth was formed approx. 4.54 billion years ago out of the solar nebula. Initially molten, the outer layer cooled to form a crust about 4.3 B.Y.A. as water was brought to Earth by meteors.

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The History of Life on Earth

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  1. The History of Life on Earth

  2. Formation of the Earth • Earth was formed approx. 4.54 billion years ago out of the solar nebula. • Initially molten, the outer layer cooled to form a crust about 4.3 B.Y.A. as water was brought to Earth by meteors. • By 3.9 B.Y.A. Earth had cooled enough to form oceans.

  3. Formation of the Earth • Out gassing and volcanic activity produced the primordial atmosphere consisting of water vapor, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, ammonia, methane, and other gasses. • The primordial ocean was • most likely made up of • water, with methane, • ammonia, hydrogen, sulfur, • and carbon dioxide. • No free oxygen in the • atmosphere or oceans at • this time.

  4. First Life on Earth • Life – metabolism and reproduction, growth and response to stimuli (adaptation). • Proto-cells: cell-like spheroid formed from proteinoids (chained groups of amino acids). • Proto-cells containing RNA may have been the first cellular life forms on Earth. (3.8 B.Y.A.)

  5. The First Cells • Prokaryotic cells: Cells without a membrane-bound nucleus. (3.5 - 2.5 B.Y.A.) • First autotrophs, blue-green algae. (supplied the first oxygen to the atmosphere) • Genetic material is in a circular loop called a plasmid

  6. The First Cells • Eukaryotic cells: cells with a membrane-enclosed nucleus. • Developed approx. 2 billion years ago • Include all complex cells and make up all multi-cellular organisms. • Animals, plants, fungi, and protists are eukaryotes.

  7. Precambrian • Proterozoic Eon – 2500 to 543 mya • Paleoproterozoic Era – 2500 to 1600 mya • Stable continents • 2400 – 2100: Huronian ice age • Mesoproterozoic Era – 1600 to 900 mya • Formation of supercontinent Rodinia • Eukaryotic cells appear • 1200 mya: spore/gamete formation (sexual reproduction) • Photosynthetic organisms proliferate, oxygen above 10% • Formation of the ozone layer • 950 mya: start of Stuartian-Varangian ice age

  8. Precambrian • Proterozoic Eon – 2500 to 543 mya • Neoproterozoic Era – 900 to 643 mya • Earth day is 18 hours long • Formation of the supercontinent Pannotia • Cryogenian Period – 850 to 635 mya • 750 mya: End of last magnetic reversal • 650 mya: mass extinction of 70% of dominant sea plants.

  9. Phanerozoic Eon 543 mya to present • Paleozoic Era – 543 to 251 mya • Vendian (Ediacaran) Period – 635 to 543 mya • 570 mya: end of Stuartian-Varangian ice age • Soft-bodied organisms developed, first jellyfish • Cambrian Period – 543 to 490 mya • Most of the major groups of animals first appear. • 530 mya: Animals with shells appeared.

  10. Phanerozoic Eon 543 mya to present • Paleozoic Era – 543 to 251 mya • Ordovician Period – 490 to 443 mya • Diverse marine invertebrates, first vertebrates appear, first green plants and fungi on land • 450 mya: start of Andean-Saharan ice age • 443 mya mass extinction of many marine invertebrates. • Silurian Period – 433 to 417 mya • End of Adean-Saharan ice age, stabilization of Earth’s climate • Coral reefs appeared, first fish with jaws, spiders, centipedes and plants appear on land.

  11. Phanerozoic Eon 543 mya to present • Paleozoic Era – 543 to 251 mya • Devonian Period – 417 to 354 mya • Ferns and seed-bearing plants appeared, first amphibians • Wingless insects and vertebrates appear on land • Pannotia fragmented into Laurasia and Gondwana • Atmospheric oxygen level about 16% • 374 mya: mass extinction of 70% of marine species

  12. Phanerozoic Eon 543 mya to present • Paleozoic Era – 543 to 251 mya • Carboniferous Period – 354 to 299 mya • Mississippian Epoch – 354 to 318 mya • Karoo ice age, large primitive trees, vertebrates appear on land, first winged insects • Pennsylvanian Epoch – 318 to 299 mya • First reptiles, atmospheric oxygen over 30%, giant arthropods, deposits of coal form in Europe and Asia.

  13. Phanerozoic Eon 543 mya to present • Paleozoic Era – 543 to 251 mya • Permian Period – 299 to 251 mya • Formation of the supercontinent Pangea, Earth is cold and dry • Conifers appear • 260 mya: end of Karoo ice age • Oxygen levels drop from 30% to 12% • 251 mya: Great Permian-Triassic mass extinction – 90% of ocean dwellers and 70% of land plants and animals.

  14. Phanerozoic Eon 543 mya to present • Mesozoic Era – 251 to 65 mya • Triassic Period – 251 to 200 mya • Breakup of Pangea • First dinosaurs appear, first evidence of mammals • 201 mya: mass extinction 20% of marine animals

  15. Phanerozoic Eon 543 mya to present • Mesozoic Era – 251 to 65 mya • Jurassic Period – 200 to 145 mya • Earth is warm – no polar ice • Age of the dinosaurs: giant herbivores and vicious carnivores. • North America splits from Europe. • 166 mya: split between marsupial and eutharian mammals. • 150 mya: First birds (archaeopteryx) appear

  16. Phanerozoic Eon 543 mya to present • Mesozoic Era – 251 to 65 mya • Cretaceous Period – 145 to 65 mya • Africa and India split from Antarctica, South America splits from Africa • Flowering plants, crocodiles appear, modern mammals and birds developed. • 70 mya: T-Rex thrived • 65 mya: Meteor impact, Yucatan, Mexico – mass extinction of dinosaurs.

  17. Phanerozoic Eon 543 mya to present • Cenozoic Era – 65 mya to today • Tertiary period – 65to 1.8 mya • Paleocene Epoch – 65 to 54.8 mya • Appearance of placental animals • Formation of Rocky Mtns, major global warming • Eocene Epoch – 54.8 to 33.7 mya • India and Asia collide forming the Himalayas, Australia separates from Antarctica. • Small modern mammals appear.

  18. Phanerozoic Eon 543 mya to present • Cenozoic Era – 65 mya to today • Tertiary period – 65to 1.8 mya • Oligocene Epoch – 33.7 to 23.8 mya • Start of Pleistocene ice age • Appearance of grasses, elephants, camels, early horses. • Miocene Epoch – 23.8 to 5.3 mya • The plants and animals of the Miocene were fairly modern. • Mammals and birds were well-established. Whales, seals, and kelp spread.

  19. Phanerozoic Eon 543 mya to present • Cenozoic Era – 65 mya to today • Tertiary period – 65to 1.8 mya • Pliocene Epoch – 5.3 to 1.8 mya • Accumulation of ice at the poles • Spread of grasslands, rise of long-legged grazing animals • 2.4 mya: Homo habilis appears, tool making humanoids

  20. Phanerozoic Eon 543 mya to present • Cenozoic Era – 65 mya to today • Quaternary Period – 1.8 mya to today • Pleistocene Epoch – 1.8 mya to 10,000 yrs ago • Homo erectus moves out of Africa • Presence of large land mammals and birds • Global cooling and glaciation • Neanderthals – 500,000 yrs ago • Homo sapiens – 200,000 yrs ago

  21. Phanerozoic Eon 543 mya to present • Cenozoic Era – 65 mya to today • Quaternary Period – 1.8 mya to today • Holocene Epoch – 11,600ya to today • Development of agriculture and domestication of animals. • 9,000 ya: metal smelting • 5,500 ya: wheel • 5,000 ya: writing • 4,500 ya: Pyramids • 2,230 ya: Archimedes advances mathematics • 2,000 ya: Christian Era • 250 ya: industrialization • 50 ya: Space Travel

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