Climate

Earth’s Climate History

• Precambian Era: Hadean, Achean, Proterozoic Eon – Cool
• 4 billion years ago – Earth’s Formation
• 3.46 billion years ago – First Ocean (Warm salt, Alkaline Soda seas)
• 2 billion years ago – Cyno-bacteria (Oxygen photosynthesis) – all iron oxides are released into atmosphere (W. Australia)
• 1000 million years ago – Ice Age
• 800 million years ago – Ice Age
• 600 million years ago – Ice Age
• Paleozoic Era: Cambian Period – Warm
• 542 million years ago
• Paleozoic Era: Ordovician Period – Warm -> Cool
• 488 million years ago
• Paleozoic Era: Silurian Period – warm
• 443 million years ago
• Paleozoic Era: Devonian Period – warm
• 416 million years ago
• Paleozoic Era: Carboniverous Period – cool
• 359 million years ago
• 300 million years ago – Ice Age
• Paleozoic Era: Permian Period – warm
• 299 million years ago
• Mesozoic Era: Triassic Period – warm
• 251 million years ago
• Mesozoic Era: Jurassic Period – warm
• 199 million years ago
• Mesozoic Era: Cretaceous Period – warm
• 145 million years ago
• 100 million years ago –Ice Age
• Cenozoic Era: Paleogene Period – warm -> cool
• 65 million years ago
• Cenozoic Era: Pleistocene Period – cool
• 23 million years ago