The Nature Timespiral Reveals the History of Earth From the Big Bang Until Today

In the grand scheme of time and space, the existence of humanity is a mere drip in the ocean of reality. Or is it? Either way, this utterly breathtaking visualization by Pablo Carlos Budassi shows us how we are just a tiny thread in a colossal tapestry of stardust:

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It is no easy task to visualize the entire history of the planet in a gorgeous, mesmerizing way, but illustrator Budassi has achieved it. When I first saw this visualization, I literally gasped and immediately investigated if it is available for purchase because I would love to see it on my wall everyday (and I would be honored to support such a talented artist). It somehow remains minimalist while capturing an incredible wealth of information and detail. The colors convey the timeline of cataclysmic events that have created the lush, diverse world we call home today.

I also love beautiful things that I can learn from while admiring them. For example, I had no idea what the last universal common ancestor (LUCA) was. Around 4 billion years ago (the Earth and moon formed 4.5 billion years ago, for context), LUCA existed. It is believed that this microbe was the beginning of life on Earth, making it the first ancestor of all living creatures. There is evidence that it lived a somewhat alien lifestyle, thriving deep underground in iron-sulfur hydrothermal events. It did not breathe air and was capable of producing its own food using the dark, metal-rich environment surrounding it. Gotta love a strong, independent microbe!