A NOAA weather satellite mosaic displaying northeastern America with the five Great Lakes, listed from left to right: Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario
c. 8000 BCE: The Majestic Great Lakes of North America

The Great Lakes, consisting of Lakes Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior, form the world's largest group of freshwater lakes by surface area and the second-largest by volume. Formed from ancient rifts and glacial activity, [...]

Before approximately 11,000 years ago, Alaska and Siberia were connected by a landmass called "Beringia" due to lower sea levels.
c. 9000 BCE: Uncovering Beringia – The Land Bridge Between Continents

During the last glacial period, the Beringia land bridge emerged, connecting Eurasia and North America. This bridge enabled early human migrations from Eurasia to the Americas, fundamentally altering human history

A comparison between ice coverage in the northern hemisphere during the last glacial maximum around 20,000 years ago (top) and contemporary ice coverage in the northern hemisphere (bottom).
c. 10,000 BCE: Understanding the Quaternary Glaciation – The Current Ice Age

The Quaternary glaciation, the current ice age, began around 2.6 million years ago. Our present interglacial period, the Holocene epoch, started about 12,000 years ago. Influenced by Milankovic cycles and other factors, this period has [...]

A verdant valley located in the Zagros Mountains near Dena, Iran, part of the "fertile crescent."
c. 10,000 BCE: The Dawn of Agriculture – A Turning Point in Human History

The invention of agriculture around 12,000 years ago marked a major shift in human civilization, enabling settled lifestyles and leading to the emergence of the first cities and complex societies

A segment of an Egyptian mural showing people engaging with domesticated animals
c. 30,000 BCE: The Journey of Animal Domestication

Animal domestication, a key development in human history, transformed wild species into crucial contributors to human survival and society, from the first domesticated dogs over 30,000 years ago to modern livestock

In this 1913 textbook illustration, a saber-toothed cat and two dire wolves are depicted battling over the carcass of a Columbian mammoth in the La Brea Tar Pits
c. 38,000 BCE: The Geological Wonder of La Brea Tar Pits

The La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles, renowned for preserving ancient animal remains, offer a unique glimpse into the natural seepage of tar formed from deep-seated petroleum deposits

A small pond and stepped cliffs indicate the Ngwenya Mine's location in the Kingdom of Swaziland, one of the earliest known iron
c. 40,000 BCE: The Origins of Mining – Discovering the Ngwenya Mine

The Ngwenya Mine in Swaziland is the world's oldest known mine, dating back over 40,000 years. Early miners delved deep into the earth for specular hematite, a mineral used for ceremonial glitter, marking the dawn [...]

Aerial view of Meteor Crater, a ¾ mile (1.2 kilometers) wide hole in the Arizona desert formed approximately 50,000 years ago by the impact of a small iron-rich asteroid traveling at speeds exceeding 6 miles (10 kilometers) per second
c. 50,000 BCE: Arizona’s Meteor Crater – A Window into Earth’s Impact History

Meteor Crater near Flagstaff, Arizona, is a pristine geological site formed 50,000 years ago by an asteroid impact, offering insights into Earth's history with extraterrestrial collisions

San (Bushmen) people crossing a sand dune in South Africa's Northern Cape region
c. 70,000 BCE: The San People – Preserving Ancient Traditions

The San people, indigenous nomadic hunter-gatherers of Southern Africa, have preserved traditions dating back over 70,000 years, offering valuable insights into early human societies

A portion of a recreated artwork from the renowned Lascaux caves in southwestern France, featuring a prehistoric horse and symbols that some archaeologists believe could represent stars and constellations in the night sky.
c. 200,000 BCE: The Dawn of Homo Sapiens and Their Impact on Earth

Homo sapiens, appearing around 200,000 years ago, coexisted with Neanderthals and have left a profound impact on Earth through advancements in agriculture, art, and technology, leading to significant environmental changes