PBS
When Giant Millipedes Reigned
This giant millipede was the largest known invertebrate to ever live on land. So how did it get so big??
PBS
When It Was Too Hot for Leaves
Plants first made their way onto land at least 470 million years ago but for their first 80 million years, leaves as we know them today didn’t exist. What held them back?
PBS
How Vertebrates Got Teeth... And Lost Them Again
As revolutionary as teeth were, they would go on to disappear in some groups of vertebrates. But why?
PBS
How Plants Caused the First Mass Extinction
In the middle of the Cambrian, life on land was about to get a little more crowded. And those newcomers would end up changing the world. The arrival of plants on land would make the world colder, drain much of the oxygen out of the...
PBS
Is This The Oldest Dad In The Fossil Record?
Fossil evidence suggests Diictodon used burrows to breed, and that a parent stayed behind to feed and protect their young. And the parent that stayed behind? It might’ve been the male.
SciShow
A Brief History of Life: When Life Exploded
Right at the beginning of the Paleozoic, there was a huge explosion of more complex life. And that’s when things started to get really interesting. This is our second installment on the history of life, but you can watch in any order you...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: Is this the most successful animal ever? | Nigel Hughes
Prevailing for around 270 million years and encompassing more than 20,000 distinct species, trilobites are some of the most successful lifeforms in Earth's history. When they sprung into existence, they were among the most diverse and...
SciShow
A Brief History of Life on Earth: The Full Series
From the Archean Eon to the Holocene Epoch, check out this SciShow mini-series for a primer about life on earth.
PBS
A Brief History of Geologic Time
By looking at the layers beneath our feet, geologists have been able to identify and describe crucial episodes in life's history. These key events frame the chapters in the story of life on earth and the system we use to bind all these...
PBS
From the Cambrian Explosion to the Great Dying
The first era of our current eon, the Paleozoic Era, is probably the most deceptively fascinating time in Earth's history. With near constant revolutions in life, punctuated by catastrophic extinctions, it is also one of the most chaotic.
Curated Video
The History of Life
The video “The History of Life” gives a brief overview of the major time spans in Earth’s history, focusing specifically on the formation of life and how that life changed over time.
Professor Dave Explains
History of the Earth Part 2: Phanerozoic Eon – Paleozoic Era
We just cruised through the Hadean, Archean, and Proterozoic eons. That brings us all the way to the Phanerozoic eon, which is the one we are still living in today. This is split up into the Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic eras, so...
Mazz Media
Fossils and Dinosaurs
The age of dinosaurs comes alive as viewers take a trip back in time. State-of-the-art animatronic dinosaurs help to create what life was like 60 million years ago. In this program students will learn the names and distinctive features...
Visual Learning Systems
Exploring the Paleozoic Era
Join us on a fascinating journey back in time as we explore the Paleozoic Era, a pivotal period in Earth's history. In this video, we delve into the evolution of life during this era, highlighting the significant milestones and key...
Wonderscape
Science Kids: The Fossil Record and Evolution of Life
This video is a lesson on paleontology and the study of fossils. It discusses how fossils are formed, the fossil record, and the information scientists can gather from studying fossils. The video also explores the different eras of...