Journey Through Deep Time
Explore the vast timescales of evolution through interactive visualizations that bring millions of years of natural history into perspective.
Geological Periods
Evolutionary Milestones
Interactive Exploration
Interactive Geological Timeline
Click on any time period to explore the key evolutionary events and environmental changes that shaped life on Earth.
Paleocene
66-56 MYA
The dawn of the Age of Mammals. After the extinction of dinosaurs, mammals began their great diversification.
Eocene
56-34 MYA
Peak mammalian innovation. First whales take to the seas, bats achieve powered flight, and early elephants emerge.
Oligocene
34-23 MYA
Evolutionary refinement period. Major lineages solidify their adaptations and spread geographically.
Miocene
23-5 MYA
The great expansion. Proboscideans explode in diversity as they spread from Africa to all continents.
Pliocene
5-2.6 MYA
Modern forms emerge. Ancestors of living elephants, whales, and bats become recognizable.
Pleistocene
2.6 MYA-12 KYA
Ice Age giants. Megafauna dominates until climate change and human expansion cause mass extinctions.
Evolutionary Timeline Comparison
Compare the evolutionary journeys of our three featured animal lineages across deep time.
Elephants
Early Size
Fox-sized (11 lbs)
Modern Size
Up to 14,000 lbs
Trunk Development
Gradual
Continental Migration (20 MYA)
Bats
Early Size
Small mammal
Modern Size
0.03-3.3 lbs
Powered Flight
Rapid burst
Flight Evolution (50 MYA)
Marine Mammals
Early Size
Wolf-sized
Modern Size
Up to 400,000 lbs
Aquatic Body Plan
Steady progression
Fully Aquatic (35 MYA)
Parallel Evolution Through Time
Early Origins
Small, generalized mammals begin to specialize
Elephants
Eritherium - tiny, no trunk
Bats
Unknown gliding ancestors
Marine Mammals
Indohyus - semi-aquatic
Major Transitions
Key evolutionary innovations emerge
Elephants
Moeritherium - develops short trunk
Bats
First powered flight achieved
Marine Mammals
Ambulocetus - walking whale
Rapid Diversification
Explosive radiation and geographic spread
Elephants
Continental expansion, trunk elongation
Bats
Echolocation evolves, global spread
Marine Mammals
Fully aquatic, tail flukes develop
Modern Forms
Recognizable ancestors of living species
Elephants
True elephants, mammoth diversity
Bats
Modern families establish
Marine Mammals
Baleen and toothed whale split