Main index

Andy-sez index

13000

Age of the Universe - although there has been recent discussion of a much older age than this - but the exact figure is probably of little relevance to ACKMA!

1000

First sexual reproduction - you were waiting for this, weren't you!

4700

Solar nebula forms

950

First evidence of ice ages.

4600

Earth complete

770

Ice ages.

4450

Extensive volcanic activity adds steam and carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Comets adding water.

670

First true animals.

4400

Water condenses to form the oceans.

650

Mountain building and formation of Gondwana.

4276

Oldest rock material known - reworked from older rocks.

620

First common worms with tube-like body and primitive nervous system

4000

First life appears - simple bacteria feeding on organic molecules

570

Start of the Cambrian; massive diversification of life forms.

3962

Oldest un-reworked rocks - from Greenland.

550

Major marine extinctions.

3800

Photosynthesis established.

510

Start of the Ordovician; first vertebrates.

3500

Stromatolites appear.

460

Europe collides with North America (or the other way round? And it hasn't stopped!).

3000

Moon solidifies.

440

Start of the Silurian; more ice ages and mass extinctions.

2800

Formation of the cores of ancient continents.

430

Start of long warm period; formation of coral reefs and major limestone deposits.

2300

Land grouped together into the first supercontinent.

425

First life on land; first jawed fish.

2100

The first single celled animals and fungi appear.

410

Devonian commences.

1800

Free oxygen appears in the Earth's atmosphere

400

First lungfish.

1750

Oxygen kills many bacteria - those that survive adapt to using oxygen or live in oxygen-free (anaerobic) environments.

395

First arthropods on land - millipedes, mites, spiders, scorpions and springtails.

1300

First complex multicellular organism - a seaweed.

370

More mass extinctions, especially in the sea. Coral reefs devastated. First amphibians and first forests

355

Start of Carboniferous - climate cools.

350

Euro-America collides with Gondwana - cultural imperialism! Huge amounts of carbon dioxide converted to limestone - hooray!

37

End of Eocene - temperatures tumble and many marine extinctions but new birds and mammals have appeared slightly earlier.

340

First reptiles.

24

Grass becomes widespread and grazing animals emerge.

330

First winged insects.

21

Apes split off from monkeys.

300

Start of Permian - climate cools further.

16

Global cooling resumes. Widespread herds of grazing mammals.

290

Ice ages - south polar ice sheet over much of Gondwana including present day Australia.

15

Many extinctions. Sea level falls. Climate oscillates.

275

First marine reptiles.

14

East Antarctic ice sheet forms.

255

Mammal-like reptiles become dominant reptiles on land.

10

Maximum activity in formation of the Alps as Italy pushes into Europe - not for the last time!

245

Triassic begins. Major extinctions with over 50% of animal families lost.

6.6

West Antarctic ice sheet forms. Sea levels drop 40 m.

235

First dinosaurs, flowers and frog-like amphibians.

6.3

Mediterranean Sea dries out!

225

First giant herbivorous dinosaurs and winged reptiles.

5.3

Mediterranean reformed via huge waterfall between Gibraltar and Africa.

220

Supercontinent Pangaea complete.

5

Uplift of Himalayas. Apes and "ape-men" divide.

216

First mammals.

3.5

North and South America join up.

210

Pangaea begins to breakup.

3.25

Most recent series of ice ages commences.

205

Start of Jurassic - warm seas and abundant life.

2.4

First stone tools. Ice age intensifies.

170

Peak formation of oil.

1.9

Homo erectus emerges.

150

Archaeopteryx flies. But there are earlier bird-like dinosaurs

1.6

Humans start to use fire.

140

Eurasia and North America breaking away from the southern continent.

1

Peak of large mammals. Great volcanic activity.

135

Start of Cretaceous. Many new dinosaurs.

0.73

Asteroid impact near Australia. Many extinctions and the most recent magnetic reversal.

0.6

Homo sapiens emerges.

125

First modern flowering plants. First marsupial animals which migrate to Australia and Antarctica before the spilt from Africa.

0.073

Huge volcano erupts in Indonesia, climate cools further.

114

First placental mammals.

0.04

Modern man (Homo sapiens sapiens) emerges - from a cave?

100

India breaks away from Antarctica.

0.034

Neanderthals are extinct - perhaps?

95

First primate ancestors.

0.018

Peak of last ice age.

90

Warm, productive seas. Deposition of chalk in Europe and oil in the Middle East.

0.014

Thaw starts.

85

South America breaks away from Africa.

0.010

Brief refreeze.

75

Tryannosaurus is dominant carnivore. First primates.

0.0006

Aboriginal people arrive in Australia.

65

Mass extinctions especially of dinosaurs. Start of the Tertiary.

0.00034

Tutankhamun reigns in Egypt.

62

Fall in sea levels completes emergence of North America

0.000007

Celery Reckons emerges.

60

North America breaks from Europe - not for the last time!

0.000006

Flipper emerges.

55

First grasses suitable for grazing. New mammals emerge - whales, elephants and big cats

0.000005

Andysez emerges.

50

Australia breaks from Antarctica leaving the latter over the South Pole.

0.000004

Age of Aquarius.

45

India collides with Eurasia and the Himalayas start to form.

0.0000012

Age of ACKMA commences.