4.5 Billion Years in 1 Hour
Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell・2 minutes read
Earth is 4.5 billion years old, with an experiment illustrating that every second equates to 1.5 million years passing, allowing one to witness Earth's history in an hour. The text details Earth's evolution from a lava-filled planet to the rise of mammals after the extinction of dinosaurs, highlighting key events such as the Great Oxidation Event and the Cambrian explosion.
Insights
- The Earth's history can be compressed into a single hour, with each second representing 1.5 million years, showcasing the planet's transformation from a lava-filled world to one teeming with life and diversity.
- The dominance of mammals on Earth was established 66 million years ago after the extinction of dinosaurs due to an asteroid impact, marking a significant shift in the planet's ecosystem and paving the way for the evolution of diverse mammalian species.
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Recent questions
How old is Earth?
4.5 billion years old
What caused the formation of the moon?
Collision with Theia, a Mars-sized object
When did life potentially begin on Earth?
Few hundred million years after Earth's formation
What event introduced oxygen to Earth's atmosphere?
The Great Oxidation Event 2.5 billion years ago
What marked the rise of mammals on Earth?
The Paleogene era, 66 million years ago
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Summary
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Earth's 4.5 Billion Year History
- Earth is 4.5 billion years old, with an experiment illustrating that every second equates to 1.5 million years passing, allowing one to witness Earth's history in an hour.
- 4.5 billion years ago, Earth was a lava-filled planet, later colliding with a Mars-sized object, Theia, forming the moon.
- During the Hadean eon, Earth's atmosphere was primarily CO2, with the planet covered in lava, and a heavy asteroid bombardment occurred.
- Life potentially began a few hundred million years after Earth's formation, with the first cells spreading over the deadly planet.
- The Great Oxidation Event 2.5 billion years ago introduced oxygen to the atmosphere, leading to a cooling period and multiple ice ages.
- The Cambrian explosion 539 million years ago saw a burst of life diversity, with major animal groups appearing, and plants transitioning to land.
- The Paleogene era, 66 million years ago, marked the rise of mammals as dinosaurs were wiped out by an asteroid, leading to the dominance of mammals on Earth.
