Students who have visited the Science II building lately may have found themselves taking a trip back into time.

A timeline mural that features the big-bang theory, dinosaurs and a Fresno landmark was constructed by artist and paleontologist Laura Cunningham last semester.

Cunningham, a resident of Nevada, also painted the mural on the outside of the Science II building. Cunningham drew pictures before painting and she painted earth time to scale.

It was geology and natural science professor Kerri Workman Ford’s idea to put the timeline up. Ford used to take her students to the timeline in McLane Hall. But once the new science building was built and the department was moved, Ford said she missed having the timeline close by.

“We have this stairwell,â€? Ford said. “Why not travel through time as you climb the stairs?â€?

By showing students the timeline, Ford said students get a better concept of geologic time. The timeline begins with the big-bang theory — the theory that the universe began with the explosion of a superdense primeval atom and has been expanding ever since.

The beginning of time and space is shown on the first floor and also along the wall on the way to the first landing. Around the corner, the mural shows the beginning of earth and single-cell organisms. The mural then goes on to show dinosaurs in the Jurassic period and continues up to the third floor with millions of years passing by to the current multi-cellular humans, animals and plants. The mural explains time using physics, biology, chemistry and astronomy.

“It’s really pretty,â€? Ford said, adding that she especially loves the diversity in the mural.

The mural also includes current theories scientists follow today. Ford said she knew the big-bang theory is controversial. However, Ford said she wanted it to be as accurate as the current theories would allow.

With the controversial topic of the big-bang theory not every student is going to agree. While some students respond to the mural by walking all the way to the third floor when their classes are on the second floor, some students don’t agree with the theory.

Students involved in Fresno State’s Fellowship of Christian Students had disagreements about the use of the big-bang theory in the timeline.

“It didn’t happen by accident,â€? Fresno State student Giovanni Scarano said. “It was under God’s administration.â€?

Scarano and fellow student Hans Widjaja discussed Genesis, a book in the Bible, and the creation of the earth. Alum Don Kusch said, “It could have been a big bang. But it wasn’t a spontaneous combustion either.â€?

No matter what an individual’s view is of how earth began, Ford encourages all students to take the stairs instead of the elevator in the Science II building.