1) Early life on Earth likely originated between 4-3.5 billion years ago as simple prokaryotic cells without nuclei. 2) Around 2.5 billion years ago, cyanobacteria evolved that could produce oxygen through photosynthesis, gradually changing the atmosphere. 3) Eukaryotic cells with nuclei and organelles like mitochondria and chloroplasts emerged around 1.5 billion years ago through endosymbiotic relationships between bacteria and archaea.