A Brief History of Geologic Time

↓ More info below ↓

By looking at the layers beneath our feet, geologists have been able to identify and describe crucial episodes in life’s history. These key events frame the chapters in the story of life on earth and the system we use to bind all these chapters together is the Geologic Time Scale.

Produced for PBS Digital Studios.

Want to follow Eons elsewhere on the internet?

References:
Steno, N. (1916). 1669: De solido intra solidum naturaliter contento dissertationis prodromus. Florence, 78p.
Hancock, Paul L; Skinner, Brian J, Oxford Companion to the Earth, Oxford University Press, 2000

[Forenzikproductions]

I feel extremely lucky to be living in this specific part in time when science allows us to find some of these things out.

[AxuanJss]

“...No matter how our chapter ends up, we get to be characters in a truly amazing story.” It’s inspiring indeed.

[Monchich]

Step 1: Get ready for bed
Step 2: See new Eons video
Step 3: Watch new Eons video
Step 4: Fall into science video rabbit hole for the next few hours
Step 5: Get no sleep

Damn you PBS Eons, but also I love you..

[kristellemilante]

3:34 hadean eon
4:25 archean eon
4:55 Proterozoic eon
5:28 Phanerozoic eon
6:00 paleozoic era
7:41 the great dying
8:10 mesozoic era
8:40 cretaceous-paleogene extinction event
9:46 cenezoic era
10:31 ice age

[ikm]

The two branches of science that truly make you feel insignificant: Astro Physics and Geology. Yes, we are really that small, in every way possible to imagine.

[crappozappo]

"And our very bodies will be the index fossils of this time."

That is f**king metal

[dingo]

It's a bug it's a fish. It's weird strange water bugs and strange fish. ITS THE CAMBRIAN EXPLOSION.

[bobharris]

Thank you sharing your lectures with us. I'm 68 and I'm watching because I would like to understand the forces and processes that formed this world. I normally watch on my TV but I'm using my computer this morning. From Pico Rivera, (LA).

[ashleeknowlton]

I would love to see Supercontinents and relative climate.
I want to physically see how the continents moved with reference to what life forms were living on it during these periods.
Thank you!

[RocLobo]

I live in an area where I can walk to the late cambrian and end in the mesozoic. There are trace fossils everywhere and I can see the remains of the eruptions that broke up Pangaea. It is an honor to be able to look at the traces of events of that magnitude

[faraha]

This is absolutely fantastic. Thank you guys for your tremendous efforts that make this channel stand out

[purplehairstreak]

It’s oddly comforting to know the earth with survive humans and life will go on no matter the level of destruction we bring.

[mbrannon]

Hey, I just wanted to jump in and tell you how happy I was to see the most recent couple longer episodes. I had made a post a few weeks ago about how I loved the show but I felt that the length was too short and it needed more. You replied and let me know there were some longer form episodes coming. I know that it will change from episode to episode, but I just wanted to make sure you guys knew I really enjoyed the longer ones. You guys are an inspiration and I wish that we had these when I was younger.

I have a nephew who loves these as well. He's a little too young to fully understand but too old for much of the children's content on similar subjects so I spend some time every week "translating" these for him into a kid friendly format - retaining as much of the information as possible but explaining it in a way that a 10 year old can really wrap his head around and digest. He really loved the episodes on the illustrated history of dinosaurs and when whales could walk. And I've enjoyed them all. It's great. Cheers.

[razmigkababejian]

10:37 So no one's gonna mention the Manny, Sid, and Diego reference from Ice Age?

[ryomensukuna]

It's sad to see how much underrated this channel is. Such good content, yet only about 1 million subscribers. If they did same quality content on something else, say games etc. I think it would be 10x as much. People are drifting away from these. 😞😞

[chrisluckey]

I teach Earth Science and I’d Love some videos that focus on the methods used by historical geologists like paleomagnetism, ice core sampling, radio metric dating, etc. THANKS! Love this channel!

[MsSilvain]

“I still miss those guys” - unquestionably my favourite funny quote in this video. I love your knowledge, enthusiasm and sense of humour, guys! Thank you for making those videos. You make a difference in this internet full of worthless crap! 🙂❤️😊

[brax]

Love how up-to-date this material is. Mentions the possibility of life in the Hadean Eon, amd the emerging realization that dinosaur extinction likely had multiple causes.

[jacksoniansonex]

Actually, eons are typically around 10 minutes long.

[stonerdemon]

I'm currently reading "At The Mountains Of Madness" by H.P. Lovecraft, and all the plot about incredibly ancient times and beings just fueled my geological curiosity. I'm glad I found this channel!