NATURAL HISTORY
Through deep time.
A route through the fossil record and living world, from microbial communities to modern ecosystems.
01
Before 541 million years ago
The earliest record
Stromatolites3,480 Ma · Archean to present; Dresser example about 3.48 GaRafatazmia chitrakootensis1,600 Ma · Palaeoproterozoic–Mesoproterozoic boundary; Tirohan Dolomite approximately 1,600 MaRamathallus lobatus1,600 Ma · Palaeoproterozoic–Mesoproterozoic boundary; Tirohan Dolomite approximately 1,600 MaDenaricion mendax1,600 Ma · Palaeoproterozoic–Mesoproterozoic boundary; Tirohan Dolomite approximately 1,600 MaProterocladus antiquus1,000 Ma · Latest Mesoproterozoic–early Tonian; approximately 1,000 MaFractofusus andersoni567.63 Ma · Ediacaran; studied Brasier Surface dated 567.63 ± 0.66 MaCharnia560 Ma · Ediacaran; representative about 560 MaDickinsonia558 Ma · Late Ediacaran; representative about 558 MaKimberella558 Ma · Late Ediacaran; representative about 558 MaSpriggina floundersi555 Ma · Ediacaran; correlated interval about 560-550 million years agoFunisia dorothea552.5 Ma · Ediacaran; Ediacara Member approximately 555–550 MaYilingia spiciformis545 Ma · Terminal Ediacaran; study interval 551-539 million years agoCloudina544.5 Ma · Terminal Ediacaran; studied Nama succession about 550-539 million years ago
02
541–252 million years ago
Paleozoic worlds
Trilobites520 Ma · Cambrian to end-Permian; first fossils about 520 MaPikaia508 Ma · Cambrian; Burgess Shale about 508 Ma (2024 study)Anomalocaris505 Ma · Cambrian; Burgess Shale example about 505 MaOpabinia505 Ma · Cambrian; Burgess Shale about 505 MaHallucigenia505 Ma · Cambrian; Burgess Shale about 505 MaWiwaxia505 Ma · Cambrian; Burgess Shale about 505 MaEurypterids430 Ma · Paleozoic; abundant in Silurian rocksCooksonia430 Ma · Silurian to Early Devonian; representative about 430 MaPotteromyces asteroxylicola407.1 Ma · Early Devonian; Rhynie chert 407.1 ±2.2 MaAsteroxylon mackiei407 Ma · Early Devonian; approximately 407 MaTiktaalik375 Ma · Late Devonian; about 375 MaAcanthostega365 Ma · Late Devonian; representative about 365 MaDunkleosteus360 Ma · Late Devonian; representative about 360 MaLepidodendron310 Ma · Carboniferous; representative about 310 MaMeganeura300 Ma · Late Carboniferous; about 300 MaDimetrodon290 Ma · Permian; representative about 290 MaLystrosaurus252 Ma · Late Permian to Early Triassic; about 252 Ma
03
252–66 million years ago
The age of dinosaurs
Coelophysis210 Ma · Late Triassic; representative about 210 MaPlateosaurus210 Ma · Late Triassic; representative about 210 MaIchthyosaurus195 Ma · Early Jurassic; representative about 195 MaStegosaurus150 Ma · Late Jurassic; representative about 150 MaDiplodocus150 Ma · Late Jurassic; representative about 150 MaAllosaurus150 Ma · Late Jurassic; representative about 150 MaArchaeopteryx150 Ma · Late Jurassic; about 150 MaSpinosaurus100 Ma · Cretaceous; representative about 100 MaPteranodon85 Ma · Late Cretaceous; representative about 85 MaVelociraptor75 Ma · Late Cretaceous; representative about 75 MaMosasaurus70 Ma · Late Cretaceous; representative about 70 MaTriceratops68 Ma · Late Cretaceous; representative about 68 MaTyrannosaurus rex67 Ma · Latest Cretaceous; representative about 67 Ma
04
66–0.012 million years ago
The changing Cenozoic
Megalodon23 Ma · Miocene to Pliocene; fossils about 23–3.6 MaSahelanthropus tchadensis7 Ma · Late Miocene; about 7–6 MaArdipithecus ramidus4.4 Ma · Pliocene; about 4.4 MaAustralopithecus afarensis3.5 Ma · Pliocene; about 3.9–2.9 MaHomo habilis2 Ma · Early Pleistocene; approximately 2.4–1.4 MaHomo erectus1.8 Ma · Pleistocene; origin and final records vary with classificationHomo sapiens0.3 Ma · Middle Pleistocene to present; African origins around 0.3 MaDenisovans0.16 Ma · Middle and Late Pleistocene; representative fossil about 0.16 MaNeanderthals0.1 Ma · Middle to Late Pleistocene; representative about 0.1 MaSmilodon0.02 Ma · Pleistocene; representative about 0.02 MaWoolly mammoth0.02 Ma · Pleistocene to Holocene; late populations to about 4,000 years ago
05
Recent and present day
Life around us
No precisely dated profiles have been assigned to this interval in the current edition.
Beyond a single date
These groups and hypotheses need a range or a discussion rather than a point on a timeline.
Last universal common ancestorDeep Precambrian; a 2024 model estimates a Hadean age around 4.2 GaBacteriaDeep Precambrian ancestry; livingCyanobacteriaPrecambrian ancestry; livingBudding yeastLiving; ancient ancestry undated hereDictyostelium discoideumLiving; evolutionary origin undated hereArchaeaDeep Precambrian ancestry; livingEscherichia coliLiving; evolutionary origin undated hereDodoHolocene; extinct during seventeenth centuryThylacineHolocene; last known captive animal died in 1936Blue whaleLivingAfrican savanna elephantLivingPlatypusLivingAxolotlLivingWestern honey beeLivingGiant sequoiaLivingGinkgoLiving; ancient related lineageFly agaricLivingGray wolfLiving species; Late Pleistocene populations investigated through ancient genomesPhysarum polycephalumLiving speciesChambered nautilusLiving speciesSanchytrium tribonematisLiving speciesAmoeboradix gromoviLiving speciesWelwitschiaLiving speciesCommon liverwortLiving speciesLongfin inshore squidLiving speciesCalifornia two-spot octopusLiving speciesRamazzottius cf. varieornatus — Japanese study strainLiving speciesAnthoceros agrestisLiving speciesVampyrella lateritiaLiving speciesVampyrella pendulaLiving speciesDeinococcus radioduransLiving speciesLeptophrys voraxLiving speciesTrichoplax adhaerensLiving speciesSpongilla lacustrisLiving speciesEuprymna scolopes — Hawaiian bobtail squidLiving speciesExaiptasia diaphana — Aiptasia model anemoneLiving speciesPenicillium rubensLiving speciesCaulobacter crescentusLiving speciesWolffia australiana — watermealLiving speciesNostoc punctiformeLiving speciesUtricularia gibbaLiving speciesBlastocladiella emersoniiLiving speciesTinirau clackaeMiddle Devonian, late GivetianSalpingoeca rosettaLivingAlgoriphagus machipongonensisLivingPhyscomitrium patensLivingArabidopsis thalianaLivingHormiphora californensisLivingRhizophagus irregularisLivingSynechocystis sp. PCC 6803LivingStarlet sea anemone — Nematostella vectensisLivingWorm sea anemone — Scolanthus callimorphusLiving; chromosome-level genome study published 2023Chlamydomonas reinhardtiiLiving; CC-5816 assembly published online 2022, issue 2023Gonium pectoraleLiving; comparative genome study published 2016Cyanidioschyzon merolaeLiving; selected experimental report published 2014Lung lichen — Lobaria pulmonariaLiving; selected microbiome study published 2017Stentor coeruleusLiving; selected morphogenesis experiment published 2014Schmidtea mediterraneaLiving; selected genome study published 2018Hydra vulgarisLivingHydractinia echinataLiving; regeneration study published 2015Ustilago maydis — corn smut fungusLiving; sucrose-transport study published 2010Pleurotus ostreatus — oyster mushroomLiving; genome assembly published 2020–2021Phaeodactylum tricornutum — marine diatomLiving; chromosome assembly published 2022Mnemiopsis leidyi — lobate comb jellyLiving; developmental study published 2010Pristionchus pacificus — mouth-polyphenic nematodeLiving; aggregation study published 2023Drosophila melanogaster — fruit flyLiving; vibration-response study published 2023Chlorella vulgarisLiving; evolutionary origin undated hereAfrican clawed frog — Xenopus laevisLiving; genome-merger timing is an inferred historical eventCaenorhabditis elegansLiving; evolutionary origin undated hereZebrafish — Danio rerioLiving; evolutionary origin undated hereVenus flytrap — Dionaea muscipulaLiving; evolutionary origin undated hereEelgrass — Zostera marinaLiving; species origin undated here