Ancient history

First signs of life and dinosaurs

About 550 to 245 million years ago

First signs of life:

The first multicellular soft-bodied organisms appeared on earth about 550 million years ago (550,000,000). Around 510 million years before our era, the first creatures with a skeleton were born. The first fish and the first aquatic plants appeared around 440 million years ago, and around 408 million years before our era, the first animals began to tread the earth's soil. The first amphibians (frogs) appeared 362 million years ago and it was only around 290 million years before our era that the first forests and the first flying insects appeared. Then, about 245 million years ago, the first aquatic reptiles and the first terrestrial reptiles awoke.

ABOUT 200 MILLION YEARS AGO

First dinosaurs:

In ancient Greek, the word dinosaur means “terrible lizard”. Paleontologists have classified these reptiles into two broad categories based on their morphology. The Saurischia list the so-called reptile basin dinosaurs and the Ornithischias (or ornithischians) lists the so-called bird basin dinosaurs . Each category is cut into different groups and each group includes many races. Thus we distinguish herbivorous, carnivorous, piscivorous (which feed on fish), bipedal, quadrupedal, collared, bony domed dinosaurs on the top of the head, surmounted by armor, spikes, bony plates, very large size, with a long neck, with a small head, with a long tail, with feathers, frills, etc.
Some dinosaurs are formidable hunters. They have powerful legs that allow them to run very fast and easily catch their prey.

ABOUT 144 MILLION YEARS AGO

Appearance of the first mammals, first birds, first plants and first flowers.

ABOUT 66 MILLION YEARS AGO

Disappearance of the dinosaurs:

A meteorite or a deluge of lava, we are not sure, caused the disappearance of the dinosaurs . Only certain reptiles, birds, insects and amphibians survived this cataclysm. Capable of producing their own heat, they were able to adapt to the particularly cold climate that followed.

First primates:

The first primates already have fingers on their hands and feet. They also have more efficient vision than other mammals. Each Eye sees a different image and the brain only renders one, in three dimensions.

ABOUT 30 MILLION YEARS AGO

First Apes:

Some primates have become monkeys . Skilled acrobats, they can climb and swing from trees. But since this is difficult, they have developed a bigger brain in order to adapt to their environment. Other monkeys lived on the ground and stood upright but not completely upright. This allowed them to keep their hands free and carry food.

ABOUT 1.8 MILLION YEARS AGO

Appearance of the first horses, the first elephants, the first felines and grass.