What does the timeline of Earth's history include?

The timeline of Earth summarizes significant geological and biological events from the planet's formation to the arrival of modern humans. Looking forward, the future of Earth will be shaped by long-term influences like solar luminosity, plate tectonics, and surface chemistry. These natural processes will eventually alter the atmosphere and extinguish all life on the planet.

What we know

• The timeline of Earth summarizes significant geological and biological events from the formation of the Earth to the arrival of modern humans, measured in megaanni. [2]
• A steady increase in the Sun's luminosity will cause a higher rate of weathering of silicate minerals, eventually reducing carbon dioxide levels below what is needed for C3 photosynthesis. [3]
• In about one billion years, a 10% higher solar luminosity will cause a moist greenhouse effect and runaway evaporation of the oceans. [3]
• Plate tectonics will likely create a new supercontinent in 250 to 350 million years as part of the ongoing supercontinent cycle. [3] · medium confidence

Still open

• Sources note it is uncertain whether Earth will ultimately be engulfed by the Sun in roughly 7.6 billion years, as a 2026 study suggests Earth is likely to survive engulfment.

Where to go next

• whenWhat lies in the biological and geological future of Earth?
• how we knowHow have humans understood the shape and size of the Earth?
• the bigger pictureWhat events make up the timeline of natural history since the Big Bang?
• how it workedHow does the carbonate-silicate cycle affect atmospheric carbon dioxide?
• what caused itWhat causes glacial periods according to Milankovitch theory?
• an unexpected connectionHow does fiction depict a sacred timeline alongside Earth's history?While Earth's real timeline is governed by geological and solar evolution, fictional multiverses feature a curated Sacred Timeline guarded by the Time Variance Authority.

Sources

• [1]timeline of natural history (Wikidata Q4026317) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Timeline of Earth · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Future of Earth · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Timeline of Earth estimates · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Multiverse (Marvel Cinematic Universe) · CC BY-SA 4.0