A Super-short Extra-brief A Super-short Extra-brief History of the UniverseHistory of the Universe

BIG BANGBIG BANG

≈≈14 billion years ago14 billion years ago

An unbelievably An unbelievably enormous explosion enormous explosion that generated all that generated all space, time, matter, space, time, matter, and energy.and energy.

Post-Inflation High EnergyPost-Inflation High Energy

Seconds after BBSeconds after BB

Forces like gravity and basic particles like Forces like gravity and basic particles like protons, neutrons, and electrons form.protons, neutrons, and electrons form.

Elements FormElements Form

3 minutes after BB3 minutes after BB

Particles combine Particles combine to form basic to form basic elements such as elements such as Hydrogen and Hydrogen and Helium, still the Helium, still the most abundant most abundant elements in the big elements in the big U.U.

Hot & Cold (The World is a Gas) Hot & Cold (The World is a Gas)

300,000 to 500,000 years after the BB300,000 to 500,000 years after the BB

As the giant gas cloud cools, electrons join As the giant gas cloud cools, electrons join the atoms of H and He. Photons rush the atoms of H and He. Photons rush outward. These are seen today as cosmic outward. These are seen today as cosmic microwave radiation.microwave radiation.

Galaxies and Stars are BornGalaxies and Stars are Born

1,000,000,000 years 1,000,000,000 years after the BB (yup, after the BB (yup, that’s a billion years)that’s a billion years)

The U continues to The U continues to expand. Pockets of expand. Pockets of gas become dense gas become dense and stars are ignited. and stars are ignited. Groups of stars form Groups of stars form the earliest galaxies. the earliest galaxies.

Era of QuasarsEra of Quasars

3,000,000,000 years after the BB3,000,000,000 years after the BB

Some smaller galaxies combine into larger Some smaller galaxies combine into larger ones shaped like eggs or spirals. Some ones shaped like eggs or spirals. Some collisions are so great that they collapsed collisions are so great that they collapsed into black holes. Gases being drawn into into black holes. Gases being drawn into these black holes became so hot it these black holes became so hot it glowed, which can still be seen today.glowed, which can still be seen today.

SupernovaSupernova

6,000,000,000 years after the BB6,000,000,000 years after the BB

Some stars are born. Others die. Some Some stars are born. Others die. Some dead stars explode violently spewing dead stars explode violently spewing common elements like oxygen, carbon, common elements like oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, and iron all around the U.nitrogen, and iron all around the U.

Our Sun is bornOur Sun is born

5,000,000,000 years ago or about 8 billion 5,000,000,000 years ago or about 8 billion years after the BByears after the BB

A cloud of gas in one of the spiral arms of A cloud of gas in one of the spiral arms of the Milky Way Galaxy forms a medium the Milky Way Galaxy forms a medium sized star we know as our Sun. A disk of sized star we know as our Sun. A disk of dust and debris surrounding the sun dust and debris surrounding the sun coalesces into planets, asteroids, moons, coalesces into planets, asteroids, moons, and comets.and comets.

Terrestrial Planets Form / Gas Terrestrial Planets Form / Gas Giants FormGiants Form

4,560,000,000 years ago4,560,000,000 years ago

Inner planets Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Inner planets Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars form in the hot inner solar system. Mars form in the hot inner solar system. Outer planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Outer planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune form in the cooler outer solar Neptune form in the cooler outer solar system.system.

Our Moon formsOur Moon forms

4,500,000,000 years ago4,500,000,000 years ago

A Mars-sized planet hits Earth sending A Mars-sized planet hits Earth sending debris into orbit. This material eventually debris into orbit. This material eventually combines to form our moon.combines to form our moon.

Earth’s Atmosphere and OceansEarth’s Atmosphere and Oceans

4,200,000,000 years ago4,200,000,000 years ago

Volcanoes spew hot gases onto Earth’s Volcanoes spew hot gases onto Earth’s surface. These gases cool into our surface. These gases cool into our atmosphere and water condenses into atmosphere and water condenses into Oceans.Oceans.

Earliest Possible Evidence for Life Earliest Possible Evidence for Life (tiny, simple things not like you)(tiny, simple things not like you)

3,800,000,000 years ago3,800,000,000 years ago

Scientists are looking at and debating Scientists are looking at and debating fossil evidence and chemical evidence fossil evidence and chemical evidence indicating life began around this time. indicating life began around this time.

Earth’s Oxygen-“Rich” Atmosphere Earth’s Oxygen-“Rich” Atmosphere developsdevelops

3,500,000,000 years ago3,500,000,000 years ago

Phirst Photosynthesizers begin pumping Phirst Photosynthesizers begin pumping Oxygen into the atmosphere. Oxygen into the atmosphere.

First Ice Age (No not the movie, First Ice Age (No not the movie, still way before that.)still way before that.)

2,500,000,000 years 2,500,000,000 years ago ago

Lots of stuff froze.Lots of stuff froze.

Ozone Shield formsOzone Shield forms

2,200,000,000 years ago2,200,000,000 years ago

Some Oxygen (OSome Oxygen (O22) converts into Ozone ) converts into Ozone

(O(O33) protecting Earth from harmful UV ) protecting Earth from harmful UV

rays.rays.

Early Multi-cellular Critters FormEarly Multi-cellular Critters Form

600,000,000 years ago 600,000,000 years ago

Funky looking jellyfish like creatures left Funky looking jellyfish like creatures left imprints we find today.imprints we find today.

First Land-based Plant LifeFirst Land-based Plant Life

430,000,000 years ago 430,000,000 years ago

These were moss like plants that took over These were moss like plants that took over the land from the bacteria and slimes that the land from the bacteria and slimes that preceded them.preceded them.

PangaeaPangaea

250,000,000 years ago250,000,000 years ago

The continents are all combined into one The continents are all combined into one giant land mass. This later splits to form giant land mass. This later splits to form the current continents via sea-floor the current continents via sea-floor spreading.spreading.

First DinosaursFirst Dinosaurs

230,000,000 years ago230,000,000 years ago

Small bi-pedal carnivores. Small bi-pedal carnivores.

First Homo-Sapiens (that would be early First Homo-Sapiens (that would be early humans from whom you and I descended)humans from whom you and I descended)

150,000 to 200,000 years ago150,000 to 200,000 years ago

Despite his advanced age, there is Despite his advanced age, there is no evidence that Mr. Weinenger was no evidence that Mr. Weinenger was among these early people. You may among these early people. You may want to ask him just to be sure. want to ask him just to be sure.