Question

study the timeline.
which statement indicates what the fossil record suggests about evolution on earth?
humans have only recently existed on earth.
organisms originally lived only on land.
life on earth started before water formed on earth.
multicellular life evolved before complex single - celled life.
(the timeline content: 4.5 bya earth is formed; 4.3 bya earliest water; 4.1 bya single - celled life; 3.5 bya earliest oxygen and photosynthesis; 2.5 bya complex single - celled life; 600 mya multicellular life; 500 mya land life; 300 mya dinosaurs; 200 mya mammals; 130 mya flowers; 5 mya humans)

Explanation:

• Checking the timeline: Earth formed 4.5 BYA, humans appeared 5 MYA, which is a tiny fraction of Earth's history, making this statement correct.
• Organisms originally lived in water (earliest life is single-celled in aquatic environments, land life came much later), so the second option is wrong.
• Single-celled life appeared 4.1 BYA, after water formed 4.3 BYA, so the third option is wrong.
• Complex single-celled life existed 2.5 BYA, while multicellular life evolved 600 MYA, so the fourth option is wrong.

Answer:

Humans have only recently existed on Earth.