Walk Through Time

Journey through 4.5 billion years of Earth’s history

The Walk Through Time is an outdoor exhibit linking the Pacific Museum of Earth and the Beaty Biodiversity Museum at the University of British Columbia. It is made up of a Timeline of the geological and biological history of the Earth since its formation 4.5 billion years ago, and a Tree of Life showing the evolutionary relationship between all living things.

This exhibit is currently under development. Direct any feedback to info@beatymuseum.ubc.ca.

The Walk Through Time is an outdoor exhibit linking the Pacific Museum of Earth and the Beaty Biodiversity Museum at the University of British Columbia. It is made up of a Timeline of the geological and biological history of the Earth since its formation 4.5 billion years ago, and a Tree of Life showing the evolutionary relationship between all living things.

This exhibit is currently under development. Direct any feedback to info@beatymuseum.ubc.ca.

The Walk Through Time uses two different scales to represent time. The Timeline uses a linear scale. The Tree of Life uses an exponential scale. The colours you see are used by scientists to represent the standard geological divisions of time; from the Hadean Eon in dark magenta when Earth first formed 4.5 billion years ago, to the current Quaternary Period shown in light yellow.

arrow_drop_downTimelinearrow_drop_down

Timeline

Present

Tree of Life

Linear time scale Linear time scale with arrow that tracks along from past to present. Linear time scale Linear time scale with arrow that tracks along from past to present.

| 4,560,000,000 years ago

| 4,560,000,000 years ago

Timeline Respresentation A simplified version of the physical timeline showing the linear respresentation of time.

Linear growth happens at a consistent rate.

Tree of Life Respresentation A simplified version of the physical tree of life showing the exponential respresentation of time.

Exponential growth increases over time.

Present |

4560 mya

4503 mya

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4389 mya

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Timeline info here

Present |

Exponential time scale Exponential time scale with arrow that tracks along from past to present. Exponential time scale Exponential time scale with arrow that tracks along from past to present.

arrow_drop_upTree of Lifearrow_drop_up

4,560,000,000 years ago

GSA GEOLOGIC TIME SCALE v. 5.0