Cells With Nucleus (Eukaryotes)

1300 million years
or 317 meters to today

Geolo­gical era: Protoerozoic/Ectasium

Towards the end of this age, cells appear for the first time which, unlike bacteria, have a real cell nucleus in which their genetic mater­ial is stored in a more protec­ted way. The divi­sion of the cell interior into several compart­ments also enables the separ­a­tion of differ­ent chem­ical reac­tions and the accu­mu­la­tion of stor­age substances.

Among the first cells of this type are unicel­lu­lar red algae, which will later also colon­ise the land.

Geolo­gic­ally, the form­a­tion of the super­con­tin­ent Rodinia begins. During the 200 million years of ectas­ium, the CO₂ deple­tion of the atmo­sphere leads to repeated ice ages. These phases, in which the land masses are thickly covered with ice, altern­ate with trop­ical periods.