Visualizing Time

Humans have trouble understanding very large and very small quantities. Stuff over a million, or smaller than 1/1000th is just difficult for us to conceptualize. For example, we tend to think that a billion isn’t that much bigger than a million. But there are 1000 millions in a billion.

Likewise, our understanding of time and how long ago things happened is kind of fuzzy. Here is a great visualization of time. (there are some naughty words in there, beware if you are of timid sensibilities)

One thing that I found surprising is that Cleopatra is closer in time to us now, than she is to when the Egyptian pyramids were built.