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Cambrian Period
The Cambrian Period had an abundant amount of marine organisms and the Earth was covered in oceans. Nothing lived on land, 541 MYA -
Ordovician Period
The Ordovician Period was characterized by high sea levels, very hot temperatures due to an abundance of CO2, however, towards the end of the period everything began to cool, and glaciers started to form. 485 MYA -
Silurian Period
During the Silurian Period a major extinction event took place, 60% of marine species were wiped out. Glaciers from the Ordovician Period retreated back to the South Pole until they almost disappeared. 443 MYA -
Devonian Period
Often dubbed as the "Age of Fish," the Devonian Period was relatively warm, and most likely lacked glaciers, along the equator the air was very dry. 419 MYA -
Carboniferous Period
Throughout the Carboniferous Period, levels of oxygen on Earth reached their highest in history, the later half of the period experienced glaciations, low sea levels, and mountain building as the continents collided to form Pangaea. 358 MYA -
Permian Period
The world at the time of the Permian Period was dominated by a single continent known as Pangaea, and surrounded by a global ocean called Panthalassa. At the start of the Permian, the Earth was still in an Ice Age, which started in the Carboniferous. After the Ice Age ended, fthe continent became very dry. There was a huge exinction at the end of the Permian Period, which left nearly 90% of marine species and 70% of terrestial species dead, 298 MYA -
Triassic Period
Dinosaurs and archosaurs first appeared late in the Triassic Period. The first flying vertebrates, the pterosaurs, and the first true mammals, a subgroup of Therapsids, also appeared during this period. 252 MYA -
Jurassic Period
Often referred to as the "Age of Reptiles," the Jurassic Period was dominated by dinosaurs, specifically terrestrial dinosaurs. Crocodilians transitioned from a terrestrial to and aquatic mode of life. Since dinosaurs were lukewarm-blooded, they were ideal for this oxygen rich period, and grew to be humongous as a result of that. 201 MYA -
Cretaceous Period
The Cretaceous Period was characterized by a warm climate, high eustatic sea levels, numerous shallow inland seas, and many types of animals, such as ammonites, rudists, dinosaurs, mammals, and marine reptiles. This period ended with a large mass extinction. 145 MYA -
Tertiary Period
The Teriary Period is the time when mammals evolved from somewhat small, simple lifeforms into a big group of diverse animals. During this time also, birds evolved into greater beings. Early hominids, the ancestors of humans, appeared in Africa. North America and South America connected at the Isthmus of Panama. 66 MYA -
Quaternary Period
Current and most recent of the three periods in the Cenozoic Era, lots of glaciers grew and decayed in the early Quaternary Period, with the last(hopefully) ending 11,700 years ago. Modern humans evolved about 190,000 years ago. During the Quaternary Period, mammals, flowering plants, and insects dominated the land. 2.588 MYA
