Credits & Data Sources
Play Deep Time Earth is built on the following open datasets and tools.
Data Sources
Cao et al. (2024), Earth's tectonic and plate boundary evolution over 1.8 billion years, model version 2.4
CC BY 4.0Continental crust fragments and plate boundaries at 540–1800 Ma. Not elevations, climate or actual palaeocoastlines.
Cao et al. (2024), Earth's tectonic and plate boundary evolution over 1.8 billion years, model version 2.4
Source ↗Zugehörige Studie ↗Modifications: Reconstructed using the model's palaeomagnetic frame and valid source ages. A fixed +60° eastward display rotation aids continuity without changing source data. Latitudes and poles are preserved; display longitudes differ from the model's. Plate boundaries use 5 Ma intervals; interpolation does not improve scientific accuracy. Continental configuration and shape differences remain at 540 Ma.
⚠ The dataset is CC BY 4.0, distinct from the paper's CC BY-NC-ND license. Paper figures and supplemental videos are not redistributed.
PaleoMIST 1.0
CC BY 4.0Globales Eisschild- und Paläotopografiemodell der letzten 80.000 Jahre. Die Quelldaten liegen in 2.500-Jahres-Schritten vor und berücksichtigen Erdverformung und räumlich unterschiedliche Meeresspiegeländerungen.
Gowan, E.J. (2019). Global ice sheet reconstruction for the past 80000 years. PANGAEA, DOI 10.1594/PANGAEA.905800. Study: Gowan et al. (2021), A new global ice sheet reconstruction for the past 80,000 years, Nature Communications 12, 1199, DOI 10.1038/s41467-021-21469-w.
Source ↗Zugehörige Studie ↗Modifications: Gelände und rekonstruierte Eisränder des Szenarios a1 (Hudson Bay während MIS 3 eisbedeckt) für die Darstellung aufbereitet. Angezeigt wird der nächste Quellschritt im Abstand von 2.500 Jahren; der moderne Vergleich nutzt dasselbe Modell. Abgeleitete Daten: CC BY 4.0. Glattere Ränder erhöhen nicht die Beobachtungsgenauigkeit. Die Darstellung kann kleine Inseln und Meerengen auslassen und belegt keine Wanderungen oder Passierbarkeit. Eis zeigt rekonstruierte Ausdehnung, kein Meereis oder gesicherte Aufsetzlinien. 0 ka bezieht sich auf 1950. Nicht vor 80.000 Jahren angewendet; keine Gewähr oder Unterstützung durch die Autoren.
Grundlagen des Modells
Vom Modell zitierte Grundlagen. Der Dienst nutzt PaleoMIST; die folgenden Originaldaten, Artikel und Abbildungen werden nicht separat weiterverbreitet.
- Schaffer, J. & Timmermann, R. (2016). Greenland and Antarctic ice sheet topography, cavity geometry, and global bathymetry (RTopo-2). · CC BY 3.0
- IceBridge MCoRDS L2 Ice Thickness, v1, DOI 10.5067/GDQ0CUCVTE2Q. Paden et al. (2010); cited as Leuschen et al., updated 2017, in the PaleoMIST README. Agassiz and Barnes Ice Cap corrections.
- Dowdeswell, J.A. et al. (2004). Form and flow of the Devon Island Ice Cap, Canadian Arctic. DOI 10.1029/2003JF000095. Devon Ice Cap correction.
- Hughes, A.L.C. et al. (2015/2016). DATED-1: Eurasian ice-sheet extent chronology. Dataset DOI 10.1594/PANGAEA.848117; study DOI 10.1111/bor.12142. · CC BY 3.0
- GLIMS Consortium et al. (2005). GLIMS Glacier Database, NSIDC-0272. DOI 10.7265/N5V98602; Raup et al. (2007), DOI 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2006.07.018.
- Fretwell, P. et al. (2013). Bedmap2: improved ice bed, surface and thickness datasets for Antarctica. DOI 10.5194/tc-7-375-2013. The linked BAS archive records the dataset under CC BY 4.0. · CC BY 4.0
- RAISED Consortium / Bentley, M.J. et al. (2014). A community-based geological reconstruction of Antarctic Ice Sheet deglaciation since the Last Glacial Maximum. DOI 10.1016/j.quascirev.2014.06.025. Cited study; separate GIS originals are not redistributed.
- Ehlers, J., Gibbard, P.L. & Hughes, P.D. (eds., 2011). Quaternary Glaciations—Extent and Chronology: A Closer Look. Patagonia reconstruction source cited by PaleoMIST.
NSIDC Sea Ice Index (G02135, Version 4)
NSIDC data use policy; attribution requiredModerne arktische Sommer-Meereisreferenz · September 1981–2010
Fetterer, F., Knowles, K., Meier, W. N., Savoie, M., Windnagel, A. K. & Stafford, T. (2025). Sea Ice Index (G02135, Version 4). National Snow and Ice Data Center. https://doi.org/10.7265/a98x-0f50. Northern Hemisphere monthly September extent GeoTIFFs, 1981–2010; accessed 2026-09-28.
Source ↗DOI: 10.7265/a98x-0f50
Modifications: Aus 30 Septemberrastern verkleinert; Eis muss in mindestens der Hälfte der Jahre vorkommen. Land und Küste sind ausgeschlossen, unbeobachtete Polzellen übernehmen die Eisannahme der Quelle. Feste moderne Referenz, keine aktuellen Bedingungen, ganzjährige Beständigkeit, Dicke oder frühere Rekonstruktion.
PaleoDEM
CC BY 4.0Paleodigital Elevation Models (0–540 Ma heightmaps)
Scotese, C.R. and Wright, N.M. (2018). PALEOMAP Paleodigital Elevation Models (PaleoDEMS) for the Phanerozoic.
Modifications: Terrain adapted for visualization with narrow-strait corrections. Modern coastline data is applied only at 0 Ma.
PaleoMAP PaleoCoastlines data v7.3
CC BY 4.081 globale Küstenrekonstruktionen (0–535 Ma). Anhand von Fossilfunden angepasste PaleoDEM-Küsten zur Darstellung maximaler Meeresüberflutung.
Kocsis, A.T. and Scotese, C.R. (2023). PaleoMAP PaleoCoastlines data, v7.3. Zenodo. Study: Mapping paleocoastlines and continental flooding during the Phanerozoic, Earth-Science Reviews, DOI 10.1016/j.earscirev.2020.103463.
Source ↗Zugehörige Studie ↗Modifications: Küsten und Binnengewässer bei 5–535 Ma für die Darstellung aufbereitet, mit Interpolation zwischen Quellaltern. 0 Ma verwendet moderne Natural-Earth-Küsten und bestehende Binnengewässer; 540 Ma höhenbasierte Gewässer. Abgeleitete Gewässerdaten stehen ebenfalls unter CC BY 4.0. Gewässer: Diese repräsentativen Rekonstruktionen zeigen maximale Meeresüberflutung, keine See- oder Küstengrenzen zu einem exakten Zeitpunkt. Veränderungen zwischen Quellaltern sind visuelle Schätzungen und belegen keinen Zeitpunkt der Isolation oder Wiederverbindung eines Beckens.
Natural Earth
Public DomainOcean / marine polygons for shallow-sea correction at 0Ma (modern coastline)
Natural Earth — naturalearthdata.com
Modifications: Used to correct the display of modern coastlines and shallow seas.
CESM paleoclimate simulation
CC BY 4.0Modellierte Oberflächentemperatur, Niederschlag und Wind für 0–540 Ma
Li, X. et al. (2022). A high-resolution climate simulation dataset for the past 540 million years. Scientific Data, 9, 371.
DOI: 10.1038/s41597-022-01490-4
Modifications: Jährliche Oberflächentemperatur aus CESM (T): eine Modellschätzung, keine direkte Beobachtung der Vergangenheit. Für die Darstellung aufbereitet, mit Interpolation zwischen Quellaltern im Abstand von 10 Ma. Die globale Oberflächentemperatur ist ein flächengewichtetes Jahresmittel. 0 Ma ist vorindustriell; Köppen ist eine Näherung auf Basis von Jahresmitteln.
PBDB
CC0 1.0Paleobiology Database (fossil occurrence records)
Peters, S.E. and McClennen, M. (2016). The Paleobiology Database application programming interface. Paleobiology, 42(1), 1-7.
Modifications: Up to 10,000 records sampled per 5 Ma window (0 Ma: 0–2.5 Ma), with supported ancient locations reconstructed. Sampling varies by age, region and taxon; counts are not abundance or biodiversity. Original references are available through PBDB.
GPlates / PyGPlates
GPL v2 (software; model data licensed separately)Tools for plate-tectonic and ancient-location reconstruction
Müller, R.D. et al. (2018). GPlates: Building a Virtual Earth Through Deep Time. G-cubed, 19.
DOI: 10.1029/2018GC007584
Modifications: Used to reconstruct ancient positions from the models.
SETON2012 rotation model
CC BY 4.00–200 Ma plate boundaries (separate model comparison)
Seton, M. et al. (2012). Global continental and ocean basin reconstructions since 200 Ma. Earth-Science Reviews, 113.
Modifications: Plattengrenzen in 5-Ma-Abständen rekonstruiert und für die Darstellung vereinfacht.
PALEOMAP PaleoAtlas (rotation model)
CC BY 4.00–540 Ma coordinate reconstruction (Scotese 2016 reference frame; per-point validity checked)
Scotese, C.R. (2016). PALEOMAP PaleoAtlas for GPlates, v3. Zenodo.
Modifications: Ancient locations reconstructed for fossils, cities and geological events, within the model's supported locations and ages.
Müller 2022 rotation model
CC BY 4.0200–540 Ma plate boundary reconstruction
Müller, R.D. et al. (2022). A tectonic-rules-based mantle reference frame since 1 billion years ago – implications for supercontinent cycles and plate–mantle system evolution. Solid Earth, 13, 1127–1159. Model v1.2.4.
Modifications: Plattengrenzen in 5-Ma-Abständen rekonstruiert und für die Darstellung vereinfacht.
PhyloPic
Per-image CC0 / CC BYTaxonsilhouetten in Fossildetails und Organismenkarten
PhyloPic — phylopic.org
Modifications: Resized for display. Each image includes its original attribution and artwork/license links.
ICS geological timescale 2026/06
CC BY 4.0Single source for geological boundaries and period names
International Commission on Stratigraphy, International Chronostratigraphic Chart, 2026/06.
Source ↗Modifications: Geological boundaries adapted for the service with translated names and service-selected display colors.
CenCO₂PIP v1.02
CC BY 4.01 Ma summaries of Cenozoic CO₂ proxy records
CenCO2PIP Consortium (2023), Science 382, eadi5177; vetted data v1.02 (2024).
Modifications: Eligible category 1/2 records; median of study medians. Ranges describe samples, not confidence intervals. Empty bins remain unavailable.
Miller 2020 sea level
CC BY 4.0Sea-level reconstruction, 0.98–64.82 Ma
Miller, K.G. et al. (2020). Smoothed Cenozoic sea-level relative to modern from deep-sea geochemical and continental margin records [dataset]. PANGAEA.
Modifications: Linear interpolation of supplied smoothed series; no extrapolation. 0 Ma is a present-day 0 m reference.
Macrostrat
CC BY 4.0Present-day map geology at 25 city centers
Macrostrat; Peters et al. (2018). Original map references retained and displayed for each city.
Source ↗Modifications: Selected geology information displayed for each city, retaining original unit names and ages. Not a paleomap or site survey.
Plattengrenzen dienen einem separaten Modellvergleich. Ihr Bezugssystem unterscheidet sich von PALEOMAP; Küsten können abweichen.
Schema aus Wind und Meerestemperatur, keine Ozeanzirkulationssimulation. Die Partikelgeschwindigkeit ist keine physikalische Strömungsgeschwindigkeit.
Wind: CESM annual mean U/V, 1000 hPa. Atmospheric rim glow is decorative.
Ursprünge, Wanderungen und Begegnungen — Forschung
Daten, Orte, Belege und Unsicherheiten der Ereignisse werden aus den verlinkten Originalstudien eigenständig zusammengefasst. Artikeltexte, Abbildungen und genetische Sequenzen werden nicht weiterverbreitet. Für jede Studie und ihre Daten gelten eigene Rechte.
Literatur geprüft: 2026-10-12
- Multiple Deeply Divergent Denisovan Ancestries in PapuansJacobs et al. · 2019-04-11 · DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.02.035
- Independent age estimates resolve the controversy of ancient human footprints at White SandsPigati et al. · 2023-10-05 · DOI: 10.1126/science.adh5007
- The age of the opening of the Ice-Free Corridor and implications for the peopling of the AmericasClark et al. · 2022-03-21 · DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2118558119
- New fossils from Jebel Irhoud, Morocco and the pan-African origin of Homo sapiensHublin et al. · 2017-06-07 · DOI: 10.1038/nature22336
- A weakly structured stem for human origins in AfricaRagsdale et al. · 2023-05-17 · DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06055-y
- Pleistocene chronology and history of hominins and fauna at Denisova CaveJacobs et al. · 2025-05-21 · DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-60140-6
- Denisovan mitochondrial DNA from dental calculus of the >146,000-year-old Harbin craniumFu et al. · 2025-06-18 · DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2025.05.040
- The proteome of the late Middle Pleistocene Harbin individualFu et al. · 2025-06-18 · DOI: 10.1126/science.adu9677
- Ancient proteins identify various Denisovan remains from Southwest ChinaRao et al. · 2026-09-09 · DOI: 10.1038/s41586-026-10976-9
- Denisovans from southwestern China and their subsistence strategiesRuan et al. · 2026-09-09 · DOI: 10.1038/s41586-026-10997-4
- The genome of the offspring of a Neanderthal mother and a Denisovan fatherSlon et al. · 2018-08-22 · DOI: 10.1038/s41586-018-0455-x
- Major expansion in the human niche preceded out of Africa dispersalHallett et al. · 2025-06-18 · DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09154-0
- Neanderthal ancestry through time: Insights from genomes of ancient and present-day humansIasi et al. · 2024-12-12 · DOI: 10.1126/science.adq3010
- Earliest modern human genomes constrain timing of Neanderthal admixtureSümer et al. · 2024-12-12 · DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-08420-x
- Genomic evidence supports the “long chronology” for the peopling of SahulGandini et al. · 2025-11-28 · DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ady9493
- Middle and Late Pleistocene Denisovan subsistence at Baishiya Karst CaveXia et al. · 2024-07-03 · DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07612-9
- Genetic diversity of late Neanderthals in northwestern EuropeBossoms Mesa et al. · 2026-06-24 · DOI: 10.1038/s41586-026-10625-1
- The evolutionary history and unique genetic diversity of Indigenous AmericansAraújo Castro e Silva et al. · 2026-04-22 · DOI: 10.1038/s41586-026-10406-w
- A male Denisovan mandible from Pleistocene TaiwanTsutaya et al. · 2025-04-10 · DOI: 10.1126/science.ads3888
- A new global ice sheet reconstruction for the past 80,000 yearsGowan et al. · 2021-02-23 · DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21469-w
- Climatic windows for human migration out of Africa in the past 300,000 yearsBeyer et al. · 2021-08-24 · DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24779-1
- Human occupation of northern India spans the Toba super-eruption ~74,000 years agoClarkson et al. · 2020-02-25 · DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-14668-4
- The Persian plateau served as hub for Homo sapiens after the main out of Africa dispersalVallini et al. · 2024-03-25 · DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46161-7
- Homo sapiens reached the higher latitudes of Europe by 45,000 years agoMylopotamitaki et al. · 2024-01-31 · DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06923-7
- 40,000-Year-Old Individual from Asia Provides Insight into Early Population Structure in EurasiaYang et al. · 2017-10-12 · DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.09.030
- The population history of northeastern Siberia since the PleistoceneSikora et al. · 2019-06-05 · DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1279-z
- Terminal Pleistocene Alaskan genome reveals first founding population of Native AmericansMoreno-Mayar et al. · 2018-01-03 · DOI: 10.1038/nature25173
- Early human dispersals within the AmericasMoreno-Mayar et al. · 2018-11-08 · DOI: 10.1126/science.aav2621
- Nuclear DNA sequences from the Middle Pleistocene Sima de los Huesos homininsMeyer et al. · 2016-03-14 · DOI: 10.1038/nature17405
- Neanderthals in central Asia and SiberiaKrause et al. · 2007-09-30 · DOI: 10.1038/nature06193
- Genetic insights into the social organization of NeanderthalsSkov et al. · 2022-10-19 · DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05283-y
Museumsexemplare
Fotos separater Museumsexemplare. Sie werden nicht mit den kartierten PBDB-Funden gleichgesetzt. Namen und Alter entsprechen dem Museumskatalog.
Anomalina beccariiformis (White, 1928)
CC46806 · Mesozoic / Cretaceous / Late
Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History
Neocaudites triplistriatus (Edwards, 1944)
PAL172753 · Cenozoic / Neogene / Miocene
Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History
Bivalvia
PAL653339 · Cenozoic / Quaternary / Pleistocene
Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History
Amphissa reticulata Dall
PAL651332 · Cenozoic
Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History
Genus sp
PAL572645b · Cenozoic / Paleogene / Eocene
Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History
Hyracotherium tapirinum (Cope)
V1076 · Cenozoic / Paleogene / Eocene / Wasatchian
Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History
Desmoscaphites erdmanni Cobban
PAL106724 · Keine Altersangabe des Museums
Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History
Habrosaurus dilatus Gilmore, 1928
V17018 · Mesozoic / Cretaceous / Late / Maastrichtian
Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History
Kritosaurus sp
PAL358555 · Mesozoic / Cretaceous / Late / Campanian
Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History
Tracheophyta
PAL722538 · Cenozoic / Paleogene / Eocene / Middle
Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History
Anomalocaris canadensis Whiteaves, 1892
PAL213890 · Paleozoic / Cambrian / Middle
Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History
Stylemys nebrascensis Leidy, 1851
PAL358863 · Cenozoic / Paleogene / Oligocene
Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History
12 / 40 Fotos
Other Assets
Geist Font
Google Fonts (Vercel)
OFL 1.1
Noto Sans CJK Bold / Deep Time Share
Noto Project — modified font used in share images
OFL 1.1
O₂ literature ranges
Mills et al. (2023), Evolution of Atmospheric O₂ Through the Phanerozoic, Revisited, DOI 10.1146/annurev-earth-032320-095425
Original literature summary
생물군/계통수
Compiled from textbooks and literature
Editorially curated
Musik und Sound
Aurora — Scott Buckley · CC BY 4.0
Für wiederholte Wiedergabe und angepasste Lautstärke bearbeitet.
Einschlag: eigenes Sounddesign von Play Deep Time Earth.