Prehistory

Archean Eon

(4,600MYA - 2,500MYA)

The Archean Eon begins with the formation of the Earth 4.6 Billion years ago. Around 3.9 Billion years ago, the first life on Earth in the form of bacteria appeared. Bacteria, the simplest form of life, consists of single-celled organisms without any nucleus, basically bags of chemicals floating about. Cells without nuclei are called prokaryotes in the scientific world. [NSPL]

Molecules (10,000 Millions Years Ago)

Elemental particles congealed in the still hot proto-universe to form molecular globs of various atoms. [NS]

Amino Acids

The Early Earth's ocean was a soup of carbon compounds. Combinations of carbon compounds were drawn together to form Amino Acids. Perhaps accelerated by lightening or the extreme heat of the period, or perhaps just because of the extraordinarily long interval of time involved, these Amino Acids in turn grouped together to form the self-replicating nucleic acids known as RNA and DNA molecules, the basis of all life on Earth. [NSGE]

Nucleic Acids

Self-replicating carbon molecules called DNA are the basis of life on earth. DNA is composed of two parallel chains of sugar-phosphate molecules bonded together by amino acids. Because of electrical attractions, these strands become intertwined into a double helix. These strands unravel by disconnecting the bonding amino acids and rebond to amino acids floating around in the mix. In this way, one DNA strand becomes two. This is reproduction in its simplest form. [NSGE]

Cells

A drop of oil in water can demonstrate the power of surface tension in forming a cell wall between two dissimilar materials like oil (a non-polar carbon compound) and water (a polar molecule). Non-polar molecules and atoms along a boundary tend to be only partially bonded so they attract charged polar molecules. Soon, polar carbon compounds would congregate along the perimeter of the cell wall, fortifying it. [NSPL]

Prokaryotic Cells

Once carbon compounds became prevalent in the Earth's soupy ocean, combinations of carbon compounds were drawn together to form cellular bodies. These bags of chemicals captured amino acids and other carbon compounds which were used by the cell to break down substances for food. Cells without a nucleus are called prokaryotic in the scientific world. [NSPL]

Proterozoic Eon (2,500MYA - 550MYA)

The Proterozoic Eon begins with an ocean teeming with bacteria around 2.5 Billion years ago. Algae arose next, 1.5 Billion years ago. Algae is the first single cell to have its own nucleus. Cells with a nucleus are called eukaryotic in the scientific world. Eventually, 1 Billion years ago, these single algae cells grew together in masses - the first multi-cellular organisms, the first aquatic plants, leading us into the Phanerozoic Eon. [NSPL]

Eukaryotic Cells

Cells with a nucleus are called eukaryotic in the scientific world. This nucleus may have arisen from one bacteria digesting another, the pair then continuing to live symbiotically. Perhaps the digested cell had special DNA abilities. The digesting cell may have had superior cell wall characteristics. All animals and plants are multi-cellular eukaryotic organisms. Fungi have multi-cellular organisms with more than one nuclei. [NSPL]

Phanerozoic Eon (550MYA - now)

The Phanerozoic Eon begins with the Cambrian rock-building period and continues to the present time. Aquatic multicellular organisms formed during the Proterozoic Eon flourish, evolve and move onto land during this period. This takes us to the present time. [NSPL]

Jurassic Period (208MYA - 144MYA)

It is not hard to see how animals could have evolved from early plant-like cells when one considers organisms like the slime molds which seem to straddle the line dividing the plant kingdom from the animals. Slime molds are just like Protozoa at one stage of the life cycle and like plants in the reproductive phase.
[NS]

Duck-Billed Dinosaur (?MYA)

Duck-Billed Dinosaur [NS]

Duck-Billed Dinosaur #2 (?MYA)

Duck-Billed Dinosaur #2 [NS]

Wooly Mammoth (?MYA)

Wooly Mammoth [NS]

Saber-Toothed Tiger (?MYA)

Saber-Toothed Tiger [NS]

Tyrannosaurus Rex (?MYA)

Tyrannosaurus Rex [NS]

Dinosaur Cartoon (?MYA)

Dinosaur Cartoon [NS]

Dinosaur Cartoon #2 (?MYA)

Dinosaur Cartoon #2 [NS]

Dinosaur Excavation (?MYA)

Dinosaur Excavation [NS]

Dinosaur Provincial Park - Badlands, Alberta

Dinosaur Provincial Park - Badlands, Alberta [NS]

Dinosaur Provincial Park - Badlands, Alberta #2

Dinosaur Provincial Park - Badlands, Alberta #2 [NS]

Ice Age

Ice Age [NS]

Volcano

Volcano [NS]

Lava

Lava [NS]

The Crust Forms

The Crust Forms [NS]

The Record of the Rocks

The Record of the Rocks are the Earth's diary. Layers of material, consisting of dirt, silt and dead and decaying animal life, gradually build up. The combined weight of these layers compresses the lower layers and, over millions of years, sedimentary rock is formed. The sedimentary layers are easily visible in situations where rivers have carved paths through relatively soft rock. The study of these layers provides valuable clues about how life and the environment have changed. [NS]