Introduction

This chart tells the history of the Earth from the time it was a ball of flaming gas up to the
present. We call it the Clock of Eras because it looks like a clock. This clock is special, though,
because the colors tell a part of the story of our planet. This clock is different from most, though,
for each hour on the Clock of Eras represents 25,, years!
". #ormati$e Era %"lso called "&oic'
The first four hours are colored black. (uring this time, the Earth transformed itself from a mass
of flaming gases into a planet with a cool, hard crust. The sun and earth were more alike then,
but the sun did not cool like the earth. Its great si&e and heat brought about changes within our
star, making light and heat stream out in all in all directions.
The Earth, much smaller, did not gi$e off light. "s it cooled, howe$er, hot gases rose and fell on
its surface. This was the cosmic dance. The rising flaming gas is represented by angels flying
up with their basin of coals. When these gases were far enough away from the Earth they
cooled. Then they descended, represented by angels flying down with their basins of ice .
)lowly the crust was formed, but it was $ery thin. Inside, the earth still held flaming gases, which
needed space to e*pand. Where weak spots in the crust broke open, the gases escaped and
$olcanoes were formed. The $olcanoes we ha$e today are $ery few compared to the number
then.
They threw out such ash and smoke that a thick cloud formed and the earth grew dark and
colder. "t some point, we don+t know when, water was formed in these clouds and rain began to
fall.
"t first this rain turned to steam and rose again, but there was so much water that it finally
cooled the earth and stayed. The $alleys and lower parts of the Earth were co$ered. "fterwards,
the clouds thinned and the sun began to shine.
,n our Clock, we ha$e now come to -., and this long era is finished. /ow many years ha$e
passed0 E$en today, though the Earth+s crust has thickened, it is still thin compared to the
inside layers of our planet. There is still much heat and some of those layers are not solid.
In cooling, the earth+s crust formed huge plates, which rode upon the surface and rubbed
against one another. Where they collided, great mountains arose and sank, earth1uakes spread
out, or $olcanoes brought forth matter kept hot by pressure. This action continues today.
/umans ha$e only seen the center of the earth with computer images. 2o hole has e$er been
drilled so deep. It is belie$ed the center is formed of nickel and iron. The symbols for these
elements are 2i and #e. )ome scientists ha$e named the center of the Earth 2I#E because of
this. The layers around the center form the mantle. The crust, also called the lithosphere, is
outside. 3ook closely on the chart and you will see the thin layer of water called the
hydrosphere. )urrounding it, in$isible but essential to life, is the atmosphere we breathe.
4. "rchaic Era
The word 5"rchaic5 means 5ancient5. This time period is also called the 6rotero&oic Era.
6rotero&oic comes from the 7reek 6rotero meaning early and &oic meaning life. It is colored
yellow on the Clock of Eras to represent the fact that there was little life. "t the beginning of this
era the earth was fi$e billion years old and still there was only one8celled life. 9any one8celled
animals de$eloped in this era. This era is the period of great rains. The rains carried millions of
tons of minerals into the oceans. Concentration of the minerals in the oceans caused the
oceans to become poisonous. %Too much of anything can be $ery harmful' ,ne8celled animals
disco$ered how to take the poison in and make their shells. #oraminifera was the one8celled
animal that remo$ed the poisons from the ocean. The #orminifera did such a good :ob that their
bodies co$er about one third of our ocean floor.
C. 6aleo&oic Era
The word 6aleo&oic comes from the 7reek words 6aleo, which means old and &oic, which
means life. It is colored blue on the Clock of Eras to represent the color of the sea. This era
lasted for appro*imately ;<5,, years. This period saw the harmful ultra8$iolet rays of the
sun beating down on the earth with no screen to protect it. 9ost life forms remained in the sea
for protection from the sun. 2ow that the problem of putting more than one cell together was
sol$ed, more and more comple* animals de$eloped. (uring this period e$ery phylum of the
animal kingdom appeared.
(. 9eso&oic Era
The word 9eso&oic comes from the 7reek, 9eso meaning middle and, &oic meaning life. The
9eso&oic Era is colored brown on the Clock of Eras because it represents land. This era lasted
for appro*imately =5 million years. 7reat masses of land were emerging out of the water. In
the 9eso&oic Era an atmosphere de$eloped. "nimal life, which li$ed principally in the water,
now began to li$e on the land. The atmosphere shielded the Earth from the ultra8$iolet rays of
the sun. 2ew and more complicated animals appeared on the land. The reptiles appeared and
still e*ist. This is the age of the great dinosaurs.
E. Ceno&oic Era
The word Ceno&oic comes from the 7reek word Ceno, meaning recent and &oic, meaning life.
The Ceno&oic Era is colored green on the Clock of Eras to represent the freshness of spring.
This era lasted for appro*imately >5 million years. Two ama&ing things happened during this
era. plants emerged on the land and animals de$eloped that took care of their young. We know
them today as mammals. 9ammals bear their young ali$e and take care of them. The birds also
played a ma:or role at this time. 4irds and mammals are the only warm8blooded animals. 2ew
$olcanoes began to erupt. The climate grew a little drier and cooler and true flowering plants
emerged.
#. 2eo&oic Era
The word 2eo&oic comes from the 7reek word 2eo , which means new and &oic, which means
life. It is colored red on the Clock of Eras to signify the appearance of humans on Earth. The
beginning of this era was characteri&ed by the great Ice "ge when glaciers appeared. In the
beginning humans played a minor role. 3ater, humans li$ed in ca$es and disco$ered the use of
fire. They made tools and weapons of stone and pieces of bone. They hunted wild animals for
food and clothing. They painted pictures of these animals on the walls of ca$es.