Eras

Earth’s 4.5-billion-year history, period by period. Complete guides are open for the Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous and the Ice Age; more periods are on the way.

Precambrian

  • Precambrian4567–538.8 Ma · A molten planet, the first oceans and the first life — microbes that changed the air forever.In preparation

Paleozoic

  • Cambrian538.8–485.4 Ma · The explosion of animal life: eyes, shells and the first predators.In preparation
  • Ordovician485.4–443.8 Ma · Seas ruled by giant sea scorpions and nautiloids.In preparation
  • Silurian443.8–419.2 Ma · Life takes its first steps onto land.In preparation
  • Devonian419.2–358.9 Ma · The Age of Fishes — and armoured giants like Dunkleosteus.In preparation
  • Carboniferous358.9–298.9 Ma · Oxygen-rich swamps and insects the size of hawks.In preparation
  • Permian298.9–251.9 Ma · Sail-backed reptiles, and the greatest extinction of all.In preparation

Mesozoic

Cenozoic