Archive of Human Genius
The world’s largest database of social change milestones, from the first fire to today’s good news.
A Timeline of Human History
We are building the world’s largest database of social change milestones, from the first fire to today’s good news. Change is not only possible, it has happened consistently throughout human history.
Filter by era, country, topic, actor, source, and more.
Era Tomorrow (2026 C.E. - ???)
Today (2017 C.E. - 2025 C.E.)
Post-modernity (1945 - 2016 C.E.)
Modernity (1500 - 1945 C.E.)
Post-classical (500 - 1500 C.E.)
Civilization (3000 B.C.E. - 500 C.E.)
Agriculture (10000 - 3000 B.C.E.)
Prehistory (250000 - 10000 B.C.E.)
Years All 10th Century B.C.E. 10th Century C.E. 10th Millennia B.C.E. 11th Century B.C.E. 11th Century C.E. 12th Century B.C.E. 12th Century C.E. 13th Century B.C.E. 13th Century C.E. 14th Century B.C.E. 14th Century C.E. 1500-1509 C.E. 1510s C.E. 1520s C.E. 1530s C.E. 1540s C.E. 1550s C.E. 1560s C.E. 1570s C.E. 1580s C.E. 1590s C.E. 15th Century B.C.E. 15th Century C.E. 1600-09 C.E. 1610s C.E. 1620s C.E. 1630s C.E. 1640s C.E. 1650s C.E. 1660s C.E. 1670s C.E. 1680s C.E. 1690s C.E. 16th Century B.C.E. 1700-09 C.E. 1720s C.E. 1740s C.E. 1750s C.E. 1760s C.E. 1770s C.E. 1780s C.E. 1790s C.E. 1800-09 C.E. 1810s C.E. 1820s C.E. 1830s C.E. 1840s C.E. 1850s C.E. 1860s C.E. 1870s C.E. 1880s C.E. 1890s C.E. 18th Century B.C.E. 1900-09 C.E. 1910s C.E. 1920s C.E. 1930s C.E. 1940s C.E. 1950s C.E. 1960s C.E. 1970s C.E. 1980s C.E. 1990s C.E. 19th Century B.C.E. 1st Century B.C.E. 1st Century C.E. 2000 C.E. 2001 C.E. 2002 C.E. 2003 C.E. 2004 C.E. 2006 C.E. 2007 C.E. 2008 C.E. 2009 C.E. 2011 C.E. 2012 C.E. 2013 C.E. 2014 C.E. 2015 C.E. 2016 C.E. 2017 C.E. 2018 C.E. 2019 C.E. 2020 C.E. 2021 C.E. 2022 C.E. 2023 C.E. 2024 C.E. 2025 C.E. 21st Century B.C.E. 23rd Century B.C.E. 24th Century B.C.E. 26th Century B.C.E. 27th Century B.C.E. 28th Century B.C.E. 29th Century B.C.E. 2nd Century B.C.E. 2nd Century C.E. 3rd Century B.C.E. 3rd Century C.E. 4th Century B.C.E. 4th Century C.E. 4th Millennia B.C.E. 5th Century B.C.E. 5th Century C.E. 5th Millennia B.C.E. 6th Century B.C.E. 6th Century C.E. 6th Millennia B.C.E. 7th Century B.C.E. 7th Century C.E. 7th Millennia B.C.E. 8th Century B.C.E. 8th Century C.E. 8th Millennia B.C.E. 9th Century B.C.E. 9th Century C.E. 9th Millennia B.C.E. Before 10th Millennia B.C.E.
Topic All #Resist Abortion rights & access Activism & Protests Agriculture Air pollution Animal husbandry & domestication Animal rights & well-being Architecture & design Artificial intelligence Arts, music, literature & entertainment Astronomy & space exploration Athletics & sport Black Lives Matter Blockchain & cryptocurrency Capital punishment Caste abolition Child well-being Circular economy & zero waste Cities Civilization Clean & renewable energy Climate crisis Clothing Colonialism Communication & language Conscious management Consumer rights & well-being Corporate responsibility COVID-19 Crime Culture Dark skies Death & Grief Debt Decolonization Democracy & voting Disabilities & special needs Discovery & exploration Drinking water; sanitation & hygiene Drugs & Entheogens Economic inequality Education Elections Electrification Environment Ethical sourcing Ethics Evolution Finance Flora & fauna Food & diet Free speech & censorship Fresh water conservation Gay rights Gender Genocide Government Green bonds Green space Gun safety Hate speech Healthcare Houselessness Human rights Immigration Independence Indigenous rights & well-being Infrastructure International cooperation Internet rights Journalism Justice system Kindness Kingdoms & empire Law LGBTQ+ rights & well-being Life expectancy & mortality Literature Local resilience Marine conservation Medicine Men's health & well-being Mental health & addiction Migration & settlement Military Mindfulness & self-care Minimum wage Mythology & folklore Nations Natural gas & divestment News & media No coal No fracking Nuclear disarmament Numbers & math Ocean health Oil Oil, natural gas & divestment Parenting Paris Agreement Peace Philanthropy Philosophy Physics Plastic pollution Police reform Pollution Poverty alleviation Prison justice Privacy & security Public health & disease Public safety Racial justice Refugees Religion Reparations Reproductive rights Responsible sourcing & consumption Revolution Rights of nature Same-sex marriage Seniors' rights & well-being Sexual assault & domestic violence Shamanism & rituals Social media Sustainability Sustainable Development Goals Technology & innovation Tourism Trade Transgender rights & well-being Transportation Trees & reforestation Universal basic income Water pollution Wildlife & land conservation Women's rights & well-being Workers' rights & well-being Youth & student movements
Country All Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia-Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Chad Cherokee Nation Chile China Colombia Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Cote D'Ivoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Democratic Republic of Congo Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador England Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia European Union Faroe Islands Federated States of Micronesia Fiji Finland France French Polynesia Gabon Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guatemala Guyana Haiti Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Navajo Nation Nepal New Caledonia New Zealand / Aotearoa Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue North Korea North Macedonia Northern Ireland Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestine Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Poland Portugal Qatar Romania Russia Rwanda Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Scotland Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South America South Korea South Sudan Soviet Union Spain Sri Lanka St. Kitts & Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan Suriname Sweden Switzerland Syria Tahiti Taiwan Tanzania Thailand The Bahamas The Gambia The Netherlands The Philippines Timor Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad & Tobago Tristan da Cunha Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Vatican City Venezuela Vietnam Wales Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe
Actor All Activists Artists & philosophers Athletes Business Cities Citizens Civil society Consumers Courts Early humans Engineers Finance Government Humanity Humankind Indigenous groups International organizations Inventors Kingdoms & empires Media & Journalists Military Nations Non-humans Regions Religious groups Science & academia Scientists & mathematicians Settlers & explorers States & provinces Utilities Workers World leaders
2025 C.E.
November 4 A groundbreaking environmental victory has been secured in the Amazon through the removal of hundreds of illegal river machines. These large, floating mining dredges were the primary source of toxic mercury contamination in the waterways. The decisive government action significantly reduces public health risks for Indigenous communities who rely on fish for food. This vital enforcement protects tribal land sovereignty and allows damaged river ecosystems to begin their natural recovery.
2025 C.E.
November 3 A landmark French court ruling has set a global precedent against corporate greenwashing. The court found that TotalEnergies misled consumers with claims about its climate commitment while still expanding fossil fuel production. This victory for consumer advocacy groups, such as Friends of the Earth France, is crucial. It forces corporations to align their marketing with verifiable action, significantly raising the legal and financial stakes for climate deception worldwide.
2025 C.E.
November 1 Japan has reached a monumental moment in its long democratic history by electing Sanae Takaichi as its first female Prime Minister. Takaichi, a well-known figure with a long tenure in parliament, shatters a critical barrier in gender representation at the highest level of government. This election, coming from a historically male-dominated political structure, is a potent source of inspiration for women in public service across the Asia-Pacific region.
2025 C.E.
October 30 Benin is launching a strategic national effort to make renewable energy its main source of power by 2030. The National Renewable Energy Development Policy aims to increase renewables to 30% of the energy mix. This push includes a target to install at least $100$ megawatts (MW) of solar capacity. This shift is accelerating energy independence, reducing reliance on costly imports, and empowering local economies across the nation.
2025 C.E.
October 29 The Maldives has achieved a major public health victory by eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis, and Hepatitis B (HBV). This historic WHO-verified status makes the nation a global leader in maternal and child health. The success is rooted in universal antenatal screening and equitable access to medication across all islands. This achievement secures a healthier start for future generations and provides a powerful blueprint for eliminating other diseases globally.
2025 C.E.
October 28 A new national inventory confirms China’s massive environmental success, demonstrating a major increase in forest cover roughly equivalent to the size of Texas. This unparalleled reforestation effort has dramatically enhanced the nation’s ability to sequester CO2, boosting its climate mitigation goals. By successfully reversing decades of deforestation and empowering millions of local land stewards, China has proven that large-scale ecological recovery is achievable.
2025 C.E.
October 27 Ireland has cemented its role as a global cultural leader by making its basic income pilot for artists a permanent national policy. This historic commitment guarantees a stable foundational income for thousands of creative workers. This economic security removes pressure and allows artists to fully dedicate themselves to innovation. The program affirms that art and culture are essential public goods and vital to the national economy.
2025 C.E.
October 24 South Korea has taken a major step toward equality by officially updating its national census to recognize same-sex couples as spouses. This victory, driven by civil rights advocates, is crucial for improving visibility and ensuring accurate demographic data. This powerful institutional recognition builds momentum for future legal reforms. It sets a progressive model for other nations in East Asia seeking to affirm the dignity of LGBTQ+ citizens in their national frameworks.
2025 C.E.
New England has secured a major win for the environment by officially going coal-free. The permanent closure of New Hampshire's Merrimack Station, the region’s last coal plant, ends a major source of air pollution and CO2 emissions. This transition, enabled by strong investment in natural gas, wind, and solar capacity, proves that industrial economies can successfully retire large fossil fuel assets without compromising energy security. The move delivers significant public health benefits and sets a clear standard for climate leadership.
2025 C.E.
October 22 A monumental conservation victory has been achieved with the recovery of the Eastern Australian humpback whale population. Once decimated, the population has rebounded to over 50,000 individuals, surpassing pre-whaling levels. This success, confirmed by the International Whaling Commission (IWC), proves the power of sustained international protection. By securing their migration corridor and enforcing a global ban, humanity successfully reversed the species’ decline.
Load More
