Final answer:
Humans have been on Earth for a very short period compared to the planet's 4.6 billion-year history because they are a recent development in the vast evolutionary timeline, appearing just about 200,000 to 300,000 years ago.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Earth was formed about 4.6 billion years ago, which is a time so vast that it's difficult for us to comprehend. Humans have only been present in the last minute of this long geological 'day' if Earth's entire history was condensed into 24 hours.
The reason humans have such a short time on Earth, despite the planet's ancient formation, stems from evolutionary and geological timelines. Life began on Earth roughly 3.5 to 4 billion years ago with simple single-celled organisms, which over eons evolved into more complex forms. The appearance of humans is a relatively recent event, occurring only about 200,000 to 300,000 years ago.
We have learned about the Earth's vast historical periods through geological evidence, such as the dating of meteorite material, because Earth's surface rocks have been altered and are not as old as the planet itself. The first forms of life, prokaryotes, have paved the way for the complex life forms, including humans, that inhabit the planet today.