Climate Science
1. Fiery Birth:
Hadean Eon
3. Oxygen Earth:
Proterozoic Eon
4. Life Explodes:
Paleozoic Era
5.
6. Mammals Master
Earth: Cenozoic Era
7. Tropical
8. First Freeze:
Miocene Epoch
10. Ice Ages:
Pleistocene epoch
11. Gulf Stream Collapses: Younger Dryas
12. Great Thaw:
Holocene
14. Medieval Warm
Period
16. Global
Warming: The Anthropocene
Earth's Climate
History
1. Fiery Birth:
Hadean Eon
Time: 4.5 to 3.8 billion years ago
A supernova – the explosion of a dying star – leads to the formation of the solar system. The sun starts to provide light and heat for a liquid and fiery Earth. When temperatures finally cool down, the first ocean appears. (Source: Shutterstock)
A supernova – the explosion of a dying star – leads to the formation of the solar system. The sun starts to provide light and heat for a liquid and fiery Earth. When temperatures finally cool down, the first ocean appears. (Source: Shutterstock)
2. Spark of Life:
Archaean Eon
Time: 3.8 to 2.5 billion years ago
Solid rock forms on Earth. Simple life develops and the first bacteria add oxygen to a still toxic atmosphere. The sun only has 75 percent of today’s energy output but an archaic greenhouse effect based on methane prevents an ice age. (Source: Shutterstock)
Solid rock forms on Earth. Simple life develops and the first bacteria add oxygen to a still toxic atmosphere. The sun only has 75 percent of today’s energy output but an archaic greenhouse effect based on methane prevents an ice age. (Source: Shutterstock)
3. Oxygen Earth:
Proterozoic Eon
Time: 2500 to 500 million years ago
Photosynthetic algae prosper and enrich the planet’s atmosphere with oxygen. Oxidation turns rocks like these found inTexas ’
Palo Duro Canyon
Photosynthetic algae prosper and enrich the planet’s atmosphere with oxygen. Oxidation turns rocks like these found in
4. Life Explodes:
Paleozoic Era
Time: 500 to 250 million years ago
Earth’s core cooled to today’s temperature levels. The two primary landmasses, Laurussia and Gondwana, wander across the North and South Pole where they receive little solar energy; ice sheets grow and shrink. The proliferation of photosynthetic organisms makes the air breathable. Life explodes. (Source:Wikimedia Commons
Earth’s core cooled to today’s temperature levels. The two primary landmasses, Laurussia and Gondwana, wander across the North and South Pole where they receive little solar energy; ice sheets grow and shrink. The proliferation of photosynthetic organisms makes the air breathable. Life explodes. (Source:
5. Jurassic Park
Time: 250 to 65 million years ago
Earth’s climate is dry and highly seasonal. Only coastal regions experience stable temperatures.
Humidity increases when the supercontinent Gondwana breaks up into smaller units creating more coastal regions. Temperatures are about 10 degrees Celsius higher than today and similar everywhere from the poles to the equator. The dinosaur population flourishes. (Source: Reuters)
Earth’s climate is dry and highly seasonal. Only coastal regions experience stable temperatures.
Humidity increases when the supercontinent Gondwana breaks up into smaller units creating more coastal regions. Temperatures are about 10 degrees Celsius higher than today and similar everywhere from the poles to the equator. The dinosaur population flourishes. (Source: Reuters)
6. Mammals Master
Earth: Cenozoic Era
Time: from 65 million years ago
An asteroid the size of the Isle of Wight crashes intoMexico
An asteroid the size of the Isle of Wight crashes into
7. Tropical Paradise : Paleogene Period
Time: 65 to 23 million years ago
Ocean temperatures are about 10 to 15 degrees Celsius higher than today. Palm trees are growing in Greenland andPatagonia .
The Indian tectonic plate collides with the Asian plate, forming the Himalayas . This sparks a new period of glaciation and
Earth starts to cool down again. (Source: Shutterstock)
Ocean temperatures are about 10 to 15 degrees Celsius higher than today. Palm trees are growing in Greenland and
8. First Freeze:
Miocene Epoch
Time: 23 to 5.3 million years ago
The continents take their current positions. Antarctica becomes isolated fromSouth America and is separated from warm ocean waters.
Its forests are slowly replaced by glaciers. The cooling trend leads to
increasing aridity. (Source: Reuters)
The continents take their current positions. Antarctica becomes isolated from
- 9. Cooling Down:
Pliocene Epoch
Time: 5.3 to 2.6 million years ago
Climatic patterns resemble what we experience today but global surface temperatures are still two to three degrees Celsius higher. The Arctic region is significantly warmer and with less ice at the poles, sea levels are probably about 25 to 30 meters higher than at present. Grasslands and savannas slowly replace rainforests. (Source: Shutterstock)
Climatic patterns resemble what we experience today but global surface temperatures are still two to three degrees Celsius higher. The Arctic region is significantly warmer and with less ice at the poles, sea levels are probably about 25 to 30 meters higher than at present. Grasslands and savannas slowly replace rainforests. (Source: Shutterstock)
10. Ice Ages:
Pleistocene epoch
Time: 2.5 million to 12,000 years ago
Earth’s orbit around the sun changes and the planet receives less solar energy. Glaciers advance from the North Pole and large parts of North America, Europe, andAsia are covered by huge ice sheets. Short
warming spells drive the ice back but ice ages dominate. During the cold peaks,
average global temperatures are about four to five degrees Celsius below
current levels. (Source: Ice age Earth at glacial maximum)
Earth’s orbit around the sun changes and the planet receives less solar energy. Glaciers advance from the North Pole and large parts of North America, Europe, and
11.
Time: 13,000 to 11,500 years ago
The end of the Pleistocene is marked by a period of sudden cooling. The name derives from the alpine wildflower Dryas octopetala, which was found in ice cores from the era. Europe is particularly affected and temperatures in parts ofGreenland are 15 degrees Celsius lower than
today.
Paradoxically, the cooling probably stems from prior warming that brought a huge amount of warm fresh water into the North Atlantic thereby weakening theGulf Stream . (Source: Reuters)
The end of the Pleistocene is marked by a period of sudden cooling. The name derives from the alpine wildflower Dryas octopetala, which was found in ice cores from the era. Europe is particularly affected and temperatures in parts of
Paradoxically, the cooling probably stems from prior warming that brought a huge amount of warm fresh water into the North Atlantic thereby weakening the
12. Great Thaw:
Holocene
Time: from 12,000 years ago
We are living in the Holocene epoch, a short interglacial warming spell. Melting ice sheets and glaciers have caused sea levels to rise by 20 to 35 meters. Regions that were held down by the weight of the glaciers have risen up to 200 meters. Glacial retreat formed theBaltic Sea .
Within this epoch, there have been several short periods of warming and
cooling. (Source: NASA)
We are living in the Holocene epoch, a short interglacial warming spell. Melting ice sheets and glaciers have caused sea levels to rise by 20 to 35 meters. Regions that were held down by the weight of the glaciers have risen up to 200 meters. Glacial retreat formed the
- 13. Ups and Downs
Time: 3,000 B.C to 850 A.D.
Cooling and warming periods follow one another closely. A 1000-year freeze until 2000 B.C. causes a large drop in sea levels and islands like theBahamas
From then until 750 B.C. warming and cooling periods alternate. Ice sheets shrink and grow with sea levels dropping
Cooling and warming periods follow one another closely. A 1000-year freeze until 2000 B.C. causes a large drop in sea levels and islands like the
From then until 750 B.C. warming and cooling periods alternate. Ice sheets shrink and grow with sea levels dropping
two to three meters below today’s levels.
During the time of the Roman Empire, a cold snap causes the Nile River
and the Black Sea to freeze. (Source: Reuters)
14. Medieval Warm
Period
Time: 900 to 1200
During the warmest period since the beginning of the Holocene, the Vikings settle in Greenland andIceland
Between 1276 and 1299, the American southwest was haunted by severe drought. Elsewhere, historic records document droughts, floods, and dramatic climate fluctuations until 1400. (Source: Reuters)
During the warmest period since the beginning of the Holocene, the Vikings settle in Greenland and
Between 1276 and 1299, the American southwest was haunted by severe drought. Elsewhere, historic records document droughts, floods, and dramatic climate fluctuations until 1400. (Source: Reuters)
- 15. Little Ice Age
Time: 1550 to 1850
Global temperatures are colder than ever before in the Holocene. The average temperature in the northern hemisphere is about one degree Celsius lower than today. In 1753, about a quarter ofIceland New England
call 1816 the year without summer. (Source: The frozen river Thames
in 1677, Wikimedia)
Global temperatures are colder than ever before in the Holocene. The average temperature in the northern hemisphere is about one degree Celsius lower than today. In 1753, about a quarter of
16. Global
Warming: The Anthropocene
Time: 1850 to present day
Earth experiences general warming, coinciding with the Industrial Revolution. Between 1980 and 2006 temperatures are about 0.20 to 0.63 degrees Celsius higher than in mid-century. The scientific consensus is that these warmer temperatures are largely man-made—anthropogenic. Some scientists claim that the Holocene has ended and the Anthropocene has begun. Humanity has begun to manipulate the climate. (Source: Reuters)
Earth experiences general warming, coinciding with the Industrial Revolution. Between 1980 and 2006 temperatures are about 0.20 to 0.63 degrees Celsius higher than in mid-century. The scientific consensus is that these warmer temperatures are largely man-made—anthropogenic. Some scientists claim that the Holocene has ended and the Anthropocene has begun. Humanity has begun to manipulate the climate. (Source: Reuters)
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