Galaxy

The Universe in a Year

By FCAstro

  • The Big Bang

    In the very first instant of New Year's Day, the universe in created.

  • Formation of the Milky Way Galaxy

    About 4 months (or 0.6 billion years) after the Big Bang, the Milky Way forms.

  • The Solar System Forms

    The Solar System is formed from a cloud of gas and dust compressing, about 4.5 billion years ago.

  • The Earth Forms

    The Earth forms as a solid planet orbiting the Sun. This was roughly 4.3 Billion years ago.

  • Life Appears on Earth

    At about this time, life appears on Earth for the first time, and possibly the only time it will ever appear in the Universe.

  • First Photosynthetic Life

    Fossils of the first photosynthetic organisms are dated to about this time.

  • Eukaryotes Flourish

    Eukaruyotes, or cells with nuclei begin to become a dominant organism on Earth.

  • Oxygen Atmosphere

    The Earth develops a significantly oxygenated atmosphere.

  • First Worms

    The first worms appear on Earth.

  • Ordovician Period

    The Ordovician Period begins. This is characterized by the evolution of fish and other vertebrates.

  • Silurian Period

    The first vascular plants begin to grow. Plants also start growing on land.

  • Devonian Period

    The first insects develop, and animals begin to move to land.

  • New Animals

    First amphibians and flying insects.

  • Carbiniferous Period

    The first trees and reptiles appear.

  • Permian Period

    Dinosaurs!

  • Triassic Period

    Mammals!

  • Jurassic Period

    Birds!

  • Cretaceous Period

    Flowers! Dinosaurs go extinct.

  • Tertiary Period

    First primates

  • First Hominids

    Frontal lobes are developed in primate brains.

  • Humans

    10:30 PM: First Humans
    11:46 PM: Domestication of fire
    11:59:20 PM: Invention of agriculture
    11:59:50 PM: Development of Astronomy
    11:59:51 PM: Written language first developed
    11:59:59 PM: European Renaissance, Scientific Method invented