history of Earth
Also known as Earth history, history of the Earth, Earth's history, Geological history, Geological history of the Earth, Earth's geological history, Geological history of Earth
evolution of Earth throughout times
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The history of Earth is the story of how our planet has changed and developed over billions of years, including the formation of its structure, atmosphere, oceans, and the emergence of life. Understanding Earth's history matters because it helps us comprehend how the world became what it is today and informs our understanding of natural processes that continue to shape our environment.
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Earth's history with time-spans of the eons to scale. Ma means "million years ago", Ga means "billion years ago". The natural history of Earth concerns the development of planet Earth from its formation to the present day. Nearly all branches of natural science have contributed to understanding of the main events of Earth's past, characterized by constant geological change and biological evolution.
The geological time scale (GTS), as defined by international convention, depicts the large spans of time from the beginning of Earth to the present, and its divisions chronicle some definitive events of Earth history. Earth formed around 4.54 billion years ago, approximately one-third the age of the universe, by accretion from the solar nebula. Volcanic outgassing probably created the primordial atmosphere and then the ocean, but the early atmosphere contained almost no oxygen. Much of Earth was molten because of frequent collisions with other bodies which led to extreme volcanism. While Earth was in its earliest stage (Early Earth), a giant impact collision with a planet-sized body named Theia is thought to have formed the Moon. Over time, Earth cooled, causing the formation of a solid crust, and allowing liquid water on the surface.