Powers of Time (third draft)

NB a new improved version of this video is now available.

Presents all time from the Big Bang to the present day as a zooming view, a million years per meter.

Using frames from the Eames Foundation's celebrated Powers of Ten as a backdrop to establish a scale of a million years for every meter, we show a timeline that depicts all time from the Big Bang to the present day, marking key events such as the formation of the Earth, the Cambrian Explosion, and the taming of fire. As the video zooms in on the present day, more recent events become visible. On this scale, the invention of agriculture and the foundation of modern civilization is just a few hairs breadths away from the present day.

Music: Gurdonark: Exurb

• Category

  • Science & Technology

• License

  • Standard YouTube License