This dataset chronicles the early epochs of the universe, delineating significant phases from the Big Bang to the formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation, along with their respective timeframes and notable events. Each row represents a specific epoch, detailing its description, start and end times measured in billions of years ago, and significant events that characterize that period.
| Epoch | Description | Start Time (Billion Years Ago) | End Time (Billion Years Ago) | Significant Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planck Epoch | The earliest known period of time in the history of the universe | 0 | 0.0000000000001 | Temperature and density are extremely high. |
| Grand Unification Epoch | The universe cools enough for gravitational, electromagnetic, weak, and strong forces to differentiate | 0.0000000000001 | 0.00000000000001 | Forces combine into one. |
| Inflationary Epoch | Period of rapid expansion of the universe | 0.00000000000001 | 0.000000000000001 | Space stretches exponentially. |
| Electroweak Epoch | The electromagnetic and weak nuclear forces unify | 0.000000000000001 | 0.00000000000000001 | Symmetry breaking occurs. |
| Quark Epoch | The universe cools enough for quarks to form | 0.0000000000001 | 0.00000000005 | Formation of quarks occurs. |
| Hadron Epoch | Quarks combine to form protons and neutrons | 0.00000000005 | 0.00000000001 | Protons and neutrons are formed. |
| Nucleosynthesis Epoch | Formation of the first atomic nuclei | 0.00000000001 | 0.0000002 | Hydrogen and helium formed. |
| Photon Epoch | The universe cools, allowing photons to dominate | 0.0000002 | 0.0000003 | Photons free to travel, universe becomes transparent. |
| Recombination Epoch | Electrons combine with nuclei to form neutral atoms | 0.0000003 | 0.0000004 | Formation of neutral hydrogen. |
| Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation | The resulting radiation from Recombination | 0.0000004 | 0.000001 | CMB radiation fills the universe. |
| Dark Ages | The period after CMB, before stars formed | 0.000001 | 0.0002 | No stars or galaxies formed. |
| First Stars Epoch | Formation of the first stars | 0.0002 | 0.0005 | Stars ignite, light returns to the universe. |
| Reionization Epoch | The universe becomes ionized again due to star light | 0.0005 | 0.05 | Cosmic reionization occurs. |
| Stellar Epoch | Formation of galaxies and clusters of galaxies | 0.05 | 5 | Galaxies begin to form. |
| Solar System Formation | Our solar system forms from a molecular cloud | 4.6 | 4.57 | Formation of the Sun, planets, and moons. |
| Modern Astronomical Epoch | The current epoch with diverse astronomical observations | 0.005 | 0 | Development of Earth and life. |
| Amino Acid Epoch | Formation of life's building blocks on Earth | 4.0 | 3.5 | Prebiotic chemistry produces amino acids. |
| Ediacaran Period | First complex multicellular life forms | 0.635 | 0.541 | Multicellular organisms appear. |
| Cambrian Explosion | Rapid diversification of life | 0.541 | 0.485 | Animal phyla rapidly evolve. |
| Ordovician Period | Diversification of marine life | 0.485 | 0.444 | First land plants appear. |
| Devonian Period | Age of fishes with first amphibians | 0.419 | 0.359 | Fishes flourish and land colonization begins. |
| Carboniferous Period | Development of extensive forests and coal deposits | 0.359 | 299 | Giant insects and early reptiles appear. |
| Permian Period | Pangea forms, ends with the largest mass extinction | 299 | 251 | Ends with the Permian-Triassic extinction. |
| Triassic Period | The rise of dinosaurs | 251 | 201 | Dinosaurs and mammals develop. |
| Jurassic Period | Dinosaurs dominate and complex ecosystems evolve | 201 | 145 | Dinosaurs diversify. |
| Cretaceous Period | Ends with the extinction of the dinosaurs | 145 | 66 | Mass extinction event occurs. |
| Paleogene Period | Mammals proliferate; birds evolve | 66 | 23 | Mammals and birds diversify. |
| Neogene Period | Rise of modern flora and fauna | 23 | 2.6 | Formation of grasslands. |
| Quaternary Period | Evolution of humans and last Ice Ages | 2.6 | 0 | Continued evolution of species. |
| Hominid Evolution | Emergence of human ancestors and technology | 6 | 0.2 | Hominins evolve, tools develop. |
| Modern Human Epoch | Homo sapiens dominate Earth, form civilization | 0.2 | 0 | Humanity shapes the planet. |
| Anthropocene Epoch | Impact of humans on the Earth system | 0.01 | 0 | Human activity alters climates, ecosystems. |
| Future Epoch | Projected future of the universe | 0 | 15 | Possibility of heat death or Big Crunch. |
| Heat Death | Theoretical end state of a universe cooled to near absolute zero | 15 | End of time | Entropy maximizes in universe. |
| Big Crunch | Theoretical scenario where the universe collapses back to singularity | 15 | End of time | Universe contracts due to gravity. |
| Big Rip | Theoretical scenario where the universe expansion accelerates to tear apart cosmological structures | 15 | End of time | Galaxies and stars are torn apart. |
| Frog Epoch | Hypothetical future scenario with evolution of amphibians after human extinction | 1 | End of time | Amphibians dominate ecosystems. |
| Sun's Red Giant Phase | The Sun expands into a red giant | 5 | 7.5 | Inner planets are engulfed. |
| Black Hole Epoch | Most remnants of stars are black holes | 100 | End of time | Very few stars remain. |
| Degenerate Era | Stars burn out, black holes dominate | 1000 | End of time | Black holes form most mass in the universe. |
| Dark Era | The universe becomes dark and cold | 1000 | End of time | No light sources exist. |
| Time of no stars | All stars exhaust their fuel | 1000 | End of time | Only black holes and cold remnants exist. |
| Collapse of Protons | Hypothetical decay of protons leads to end of matter | 10^30 | End of time | Matter ceases to exist. |
| Equilibrium Era | Matter decays into radiation and foundational particles | 10^30 | End of time | Subatomic particles govern dynamics. |
| Radiation Era | The universe is almost entirely radiation | 10^30 | End of time | Energy takes over as dominant force. |
| Quantum Fluctuation Epoch | Fluctuations in quantum vacuum lead to new structures | End of time | New universe | Potential for rebirth of structures. |
| Rebirth Epoch | Hypothetical scenario with a new big bang | End of time | No time defined | New universe begins. |
| Epoch of Cosmic Council | Intelligent cosmic civilizations assume governance | 20 | 100 | Civilizations manage galaxies and intergalactic relations. |
| Magma Ocean Epoch | Early Earth with molten surface conditions | 4.4 | 4.2 | Formation of initial crust begins. |
| Snowball Earth Epoch | Earth's surface covered in ice | 720 | 635 | Global glaciation events occurred. |
| Great Oxygenation Event | Massive increase of oxygen in Earth's atmosphere | 2.5 | 2.0 | Photosynthesis dramatically affects atmosphere. |
| Neoproterozoic Era | Formation of complex life towards the end | 1000 | 541 | Emergence of multicellular life. |
| Human Civilizational Epoch | Recorded history with complex societies | 0.01 | 0 | First civilizations emerge. |
| Space Exploration Epoch | Humanity's exploration beyond Earth | 0.005 | 0 | Manned moon and Mars landings. |
| Digital Information Age | The creation of digital technologies | 0.01 | 0 | Internet and digital communication become universal. |
| Climate Change Epoch | Human-induced climate changes | 0.005 | 0 | Significant impact on global ecosystems. |
| Post-Human Epoch | Theoretical future after human civilization | 1 | End of time | Evolution of intelligent non-human successors. |
| Time of Synapses | Potential for brain-machine integrations | End of time | End of time | Neural interfaces revolutionize experiences. |
| Transcendental Epoch | Humans evolve beyond physical limitations | End of time | End of time | Consciousness expands into new realms. |
| Cyclic Universe | Hypothesis of a universe that undergoes infinite cycles | End of time | End of time | Each cycle has distinct epochs. |