Cosmic Calendar Converter
If the entire history of the universe (13.8 billion years) was compressed into a single calendar year, where would YOU be?
1 second = 438 years
Time Compression Scale
1 day = 37.8 million years
Each Day Represents
Find Your Place in Cosmic History
Enter your birth date to see where you appear on the cosmic calendar
Major Events in Cosmic History
All of human history happens in the final seconds of December 31st
Jan 1
00:00
Big Bang
The universe begins in a massive explosion
13,800,000,000 years ago
Jan 1
00:00:01
Inflation Period
Universe expands faster than light
13,799,999,999 years ago
Jan 1
12:00
First Stars Form
The first generation of stars ignite
13,500,000,000 years ago
Jan 1
08:00
First Galaxies
Galaxies begin to form from gas clouds
13,200,000,000 years ago
Jan 1
14:00
Quasar Era Begins
Supermassive black holes power bright quasars
12,800,000,000 years ago
Jan 1
10:00
Galaxy Collisions Peak
Universe sees maximum galaxy merger rate
10,000,000,000 years ago
Jan 1
06:00
Milky Way Forms
Our home galaxy begins to take shape
9,100,000,000 years ago
Jan 1
08:00
Solar System Forms
Sun and planets form from nebula
4,600,000,000 years ago
Jan 1
00:00
Earth Forms
Our planet coalesces from debris
4,500,000,000 years ago
Jan 1
12:00
Oceans Form
Water covers most of Earth's surface
4,100,000,000 years ago
Jan 1
18:00
First Life on Earth
Simple single-celled organisms appear
3,800,000,000 years ago
Jan 1
12:00
Photosynthesis Evolves
Organisms learn to harness sunlight
3,500,000,000 years ago
Jan 1
00:00
Oxygen Atmosphere
Great Oxidation Event transforms Earth
2,500,000,000 years ago
Jan 1
12:00
Complex Cells Evolve
Eukaryotic cells with nuclei appear
2,000,000,000 years ago
Jan 1
18:00
Multicellular Life
Organisms with multiple cells evolve
1,000,000,000 years ago
Jan 1
12:00
Cambrian Explosion
Rapid diversification of complex life
540,000,000 years ago
Jan 1
12:00
Plants Colonize Land
First plants move onto continents
500,000,000 years ago
Jan 1
18:00
First Insects
Insects begin to populate Earth
400,000,000 years ago
Jan 1
12:00
Reptiles Evolve
First reptiles appear
300,000,000 years ago
Jan 1
06:00
Dinosaurs Emerge
Age of dinosaurs begins
230,000,000 years ago
Jan 1
06:00
Dinosaurs Extinct
Asteroid impact ends dinosaur era
66,000,000 years ago
Jan 1
12:00
Primates Evolve
First primates appear
55,000,000 years ago
Jan 1
13:30
Great Apes Split
Humans and apes diverge
15,000,000 years ago
Jan 1
20:00
Australopithecus
Early human ancestors walk upright
4,000,000 years ago
Jan 1
22:30
Homo Genus Appears
First members of human genus evolve
2,000,000 years ago
Jan 1
23:30
Control of Fire
Humans master fire
500,000 years ago
Jan 1
23:44
Homo Sapiens Emerges
Modern humans appear in Africa
300,000 years ago
Jan 1
23:56
Out of Africa
Humans migrate out of Africa
70,000 years ago
Jan 1
23:58:00
Cave Art Begins
Humans create first known art
40,000 years ago
Jan 1
23:59:20
Agriculture Invented
First farming communities form
12,000 years ago
Jan 1
23:59:35
First Civilizations
Writing and cities emerge
5,000 years ago
Jan 1
23:59:48
Classical Antiquity
Greek and Roman civilizations
2,500 years ago
Jan 1
23:59:56
Renaissance
Age of exploration and discovery
500 years ago
Jan 1
23:59:59
Industrial Revolution
Machines transform society
200 years ago
Jan 1
23:59:59.8
Space Age
Humans leave Earth for first time
50 years ago
Jan 1
23:59:59.99
Right Now
You reading this moment
0 years ago
Understanding the Cosmic Calendar
The Concept
Popularized by Carl Sagan, the Cosmic Calendar compresses 13.8 billion years into a single year to make cosmic timescales comprehensible.
The Scale
Every second equals 438 years. Every hour equals 1.6 million years. Every day equals 37.8 million years.
Human History
All of recorded human history (5,000 years) happens in the last 11 seconds of December 31st.
Your Lifetime
Your entire life, no matter how long, is a fraction of the final second of the cosmic year.