# Pokémon Timeline This timeline is approximate and open to revision, especially things which lack citations. {.timeline} : -0018 - _[Paldea]_{as=small} Paldea is unified under the Paldean Empire. : 1212 - _[Paldea]_{as=small} “Modern” Paldea is founded. : 1218 - _[Paldea]_{as=small} The Naranja Academy is founded.[^1218-paldea-academy] : 1457 - _[Sinnoh]_{as=small} The Diamond and Pearl clans settle Hisui.[^1457-sinnoh-dp] : 1866 - _[Sinnoh]_{as=small} The Galaxy Expedition Team settles Hisui at Jubilife Village. : 1869 - _[Sinnoh]_{as=small} Due to the success of the Galaxy Expedition, Hisui is formally annexed and renamed to Sinnoh.[^1869-sinnoh-annex] : 1889 - _[Sinnoh]_{as=small} Hisuian Zorua and Zoroark are made extinct in Sinnoh.[^1889-sinnoh-zorua] : 1905 - _[Sinnoh]_{as=small} Hisuian Growlithe and Arcanine are made extinct in Sinnoh.[^1905-sinnoh-growlithe] : 1925 - _[Kanto]_{as=small} The first Poké Balls with a synthetic (bakelite) shell as opposed to a wooden (apricorn) shell are produced in Kanto, following the research of Professor Westwood at Celadon University. The lightweight construction makes them significantly easier to transport, although the balls themselves have a notably higher failure rate.[^1925-kanto-pokeballs] - _[Kanto]_{as=small} Kantonian Voltorb and Electrode begin to appear in Kanto and slowly spread to other regions, outcompeting their Hisuian counterparts. : 1945 - _[National]_{as=small} The resolution of an international conflict leads to the formation of the Pokémon League as a pan‐regional alliance between (at minimum) Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Kalos, and Galar.[^1945-national-league] : 1952-11 - _[Hoenn]_{as=small} Meteors from the Litleonid meteor shower strike near Meteor Falls and Lunitone and Solrock are discovered there.[^1952-11-hoenn-litleonids] : 1957-07-05 - _[Faraway Island]_{as=small} Dr. Fuji captures Mew.[^1957-07-05-faraway-mew] : 1957-07-10 - _[Faraway Island]_{as=small} Dr. Fuji gives Mew its name.[^1957-07-10-faraway-mew] : 1958 - _[Kanto]_{as=small} A·B·S plastic is used to create the Great Ball, which is less brittle and has a lower failure rate compared to the original Poké Ball. The ease of injection moulding is the reason behind the interesting Great Ball shape.[^1958-kanto-greatball] : 1958-02-06 - _[Kanto]_{as=small} Dr. Fuji successfully clones Mew to create Mewtwo.[^1958-02-06-kanto-mewtwo] : 1958-09-01 - _[Kanto]_{as=small} Mewtwo overcomes the researchers and escapes.[^1958-09-01-kanto-mewtwo] : 1960 - _[National]_{as=small} Broadcast color television is introduced, although adoption is slow in consumer households. : 1961-09-19 - _[Unova]_{as=small} Elgyem is first discovered appearing in a desert.[^1961-09-19-unova-elgyem] : 1962 - _[Sinnoh]_{as=small} Jubilife TV is founded. : 1969-07-20 - _[National]_{as=small} Mankind sets foot on the moon.[^1969-07-20-national-moon] : 1986 - _[Kanto]_{as=small} Polypropelyne production becomes widespread and efficient enough for use in a new kind of pokémon ball, the Ultra Ball.[^1986-kanto-ultraball] : 1990 - _[Sinnoh]_{as=small} Climate change results in the extinction of Hisuian Bergmite and Avalugg.[^1990-sinnoh-bergmite] : 1995 - _[Kanto]_{as=small} Porygon is developed.[^1995-kanto-porygon] : 1996 - _[Hoenn]_{as=small} TV Mauville is founded. Hoenn Rangers Coexistence Force becomes popular. [^1218-paldea-academy]: This is the year that the [University of Salamanca][wp:Univeristy_of_Salamanca]{title="Wikipedia: University of Salamanca"} was founded. [^1457-sinnoh-dp]: This is the year of [Koshamain’s War][wp:Koshamains_War]{ title="Wikipedia: Koshamain’s War"}. [^1869-sinnoh-annex]: This is the year in which the Meiji government gave Hokkaido its name. [^1889-sinnoh-zorua]: This is the year of extinction for the [Hokkaido wolf][wp:Hokkaido_wolf]{title="Wikipedia: Hokkaido wolf"}. [^1905-sinnoh-growlithe]: This is the year of extinction for the [Japanese wolf][wp:Japanese_wolf]{title="Wikipedia: Japanese wolf"}. [^1925-kanto-pokeballs]: This year is attested as the creation date for “modern Poké Balls” in early _Pokémon_{as=cite} franchise lore. [^1945-national-league]: This year in which the United Nations is founded. [^1952-11-hoenn-litleonids]: _Ruby_{as=cite}, _Sapphire_{as=cite} & _Emerald_{as=cite} state this happen “about 40 years ago”. As the Litleonids occur every 11 years, 44 years before 1996 is an appropriate date. Note that this dating only makes sense in the English canon. [^1957-07-05-faraway-mew]: This month and day are given by the diary in the Pokémon Mansion on Cinnabar Island. [^1957-07-10-faraway-mew]: This month and day are given by the diary in the Pokémon Mansion on Cinnabar Island. [^1958-kanto-greatball]: A·B·S was introduced to commercial markets in 1954, so this date could be shifted earlier. 1958 was the year it began being used for Lego bricks. [^1958-02-06-kanto-mewtwo]: This is the year that [John Gurdon cloned African clawed frogs][wp:John_Gurdon#Nuclear_transfer]{title="Wikipedia: John Gurdon § Nuclear transfer"} using the same technique which would eventually be used to clone Dolly the Sheep. This month and day are given by the diary in the Pokémon Mansion on Cinnabar Island. [^1958-09-01-kanto-mewtwo]: This month and day are given by the diary in the Pokémon Mansion on Cinnabar Island. [^1961-09-19-unova-elgyem]: Elgyem are stated to have appeared “far in the desert 50 years ago” in _Black_{as=cite} & _White_{as=cite}. This is the exact date that [Barney and Betty Hill][wp:Barney_and_Betty_Hill_incident]{title="Wikipedia: Barney and Betty Hill incident"} claimed to encounter a U·F·O and be abducted by aliens. This alleged encounter popularized the “grey alien” trope which Elgyem and its evolution derive from. [^1969-07-20-national-moon]: This exact date is given in _Ruby_{as=cite}, _Sapphire_{as=cite} & _Emerald_{as=cite}. [^1986-kanto-ultraball]: Large‐scale production of polypropelyne began in 1957, but the [fluidized‐bed Unipol process][osti:6143228]{title="Unipol PP: a gas-phase route to polypropylene"} was not extended to polypropelyne (from polyethylene) until the mid‐1980s. [^1990-sinnoh-bergmite]: This tracks [a large temperature spike][berkeleyearth:42.59N-141.82E]{title="Berkeley Earth: Local Climate Change: 42.59 N, 141.82 E"} in the Hokkaido area and a trend of steep rise in average temperature. Compare also [the ice floes of the Sea of Okhotsk][wapo:japan-ice-loss]{title="Washington Post: The climate chain reaction that threatens the heart of the Pacific"}, although these make more sense mapped to regular (Unovan) Avalugg (as well as, possibly, White‐Striped Basculin). [^1995-kanto-porygon]: This date is given in early promotional material. [berkeleyearth:42.59N-141.82E]: http://berkeleyearth.lbl.gov/locations/42.59N-141.82E [osti:6143228]: https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6143228 [wapo:japan-ice-loss]: https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/world/climate-environmen t/climate-change-japan-pacific-sea-salmon-ice-loss/ [wp:Barney_and_Betty_Hill_incident]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barney_and_Betty_Hill_incident [wp:Hokkaido_wolf]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hokkaido_wolf [wp:Japanese_wolf]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_wolf [wp:John_Gurdon#Nuclear_transfer]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gurdon#Nuclear_transfer [wp:Koshamains_War]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koshamain%27s_War [wp:University_of_Salamanca]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Salamanca