History of Life on Earth — Revision Notes
NIOS · Class 10 · Science & Tech
History of Life on Earth revision notes for NIOS Class 10 Science & Tech: 4 topics in quick points. Part of the NIOS Class 10 Science & Tech syllabus.
Interactive on Super Tutor
Studying History of Life on Earth? Get the full interactive chapter.
Quizzes, flashcards, AI doubt-solver and a step-by-step study plan — built for revision notes and more.
Free trial, no card needed.

One of 9 illustrations for History of Life on Earth in Super Tutor — alongside flashcards, concept maps and practice questions.
Key Topics to Revise
1. Origin of the Universe and Earth
- The whole universe formed probably 12 to 14 billion years ago because of a Big Bang.
- The solar system came into existence 5-7 GY ago.
- Earth formed about 4.5 GY ago.
2. Origin of Life
- Life on Earth is generally believed to have originated not before 4.0 GY and not later than 3.5 GY ago.
- Life is accepted to have originated nearly 3.8 GY ago.
- Cyanobacteria fossils dated 3.5 GY were found in Australia.
3. Diversification of Life
- Life on Earth started as simplest unicellular prokaryotic microorganisms.
- For nearly 3 billion years, prokaryotes were the only life forms on Earth.
- Prokaryotes are cells lacking a nucleus.
4. Darwin and Natural Selection
- Charles Darwin was a British naturalist who proposed the theory of evolution by natural selection.
- Darwin was born in Shrewsbury, England on February 9, 1809.
- He sailed on HMS Beagle from 1831 to 1836.
Get complete notes with diagrams and examples
Full NotesKey Concepts
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the important topics in History of Life on Earth for NIOS Class 10 Science & Tech?
How should I revise History of Life on Earth for the NIOS Class 10 board exam?
Sources & Official References
Content is aligned to the official syllabus. Refer to the board website for the latest curriculum.
More resources for History of Life on Earth
Practice Quiz
Test yourself with a quick quiz
Important Questions
Exam-style questions with answers
Formula Sheet
The chapter's formulas in one place
Chapter Summary
Understand the chapter at a glance
Concept Maps
See how topics connect
Study Plan
Step-by-step plan for this chapter
Flashcards
Quick-fire cards for active recall
Syllabus
What topics to cover
For serious students
Get the full History of Life on Earth chapter — start free.
Quizzes, flashcards, an AI doubt solver and a study plan for NIOS Class 10 Science & Tech. Free to start, no card needed.