Table of geologic time

The following table summarizes the major events and characteristics of the periods of time making up the geologic time scale. As with the time scales
above, this time scale is based on the International Commission on Stratigraphy. (See lunar geologic timescale for a discussion of the geologic
subdivisions of Earth's moon.) This table is arranged with the most recent geologic periods at the top, and the most ancient at the bottom. The height
of each table entry does not correspond to the duration of each subdivision of time.

The content of the table is based on the current official geologic time scale of the International Commission on Stratigraphy,[1] with the epoch names
altered to the early/late format from lower/upper as recommended by the ICS when dealing with chronostratigraphy.[5]

A service providing a Resource Description Framework/Web Ontology Language representation of the timescale is available through the Commission
for the Management and Application of Geoscience Information GeoSciML project as a service[25] and at a SPARQL end-point.[26][27]

Start,
Supereon Eon Era Period[28] Epoch Age[29] Major events million
years ago[29]
Quaternary Ice Age recedes, and the
current interglacial begins; rise of
human civilization. Sahara forms
from savannah, and agriculture
begins. Stone Age cultures give way
to Bronze Age (3300 BC) and Iron
chrons: Subatlantic · Age (1200 BC), giving rise to many
Holocene Subboreal · Atlantic · pre-historic cultures throughout the 0.0117[35]
Boreal · Preboreal world. Little Ice Age (stadial) causes
brief cooling in Northern Hemisphere
from 1400 to 1850. Following the
n/a[30] Phanerozoic Cenozoic[31] Quaternary Industrial Revolution, atmospheric
CO2 levels rise from around 280 parts
per million volume (ppmv) to the
current level of 400[32] ppmv.[33][34]
Late (locally Flourishing and then extinction of
Tarantian · many large mammals (Pleistocene
Tyrrhenian · megafauna). Evolution of 0.126
Pleistocene Eemian · anatomically modern humans.
Sangamonian) Quaternary Ice Age continues with
Middle (formerly glaciations and interstadials (and the
Ionian) accompanying fluctuations from 100 0.781
 Calabrian to 300 ppmv in atmospheric CO2 1.8*
[33][34]
levels ), further intensification of
Icehouse Earth conditions, roughly
1.6 Ma. Last glacial maximum (30000
years ago), last glacial period (18000–
15000 years ago). Dawn of human
stone-age cultures, with increasing
technical complexity relative to
previous ice age cultures, such as
engravings and clay statues (e.g.
Venus of Lespugue), particularly in *
Gelasian the Mediterranean and Europe. Lake 2.58
Toba supervolcano erupts 75000 years
before present, causing a volcanic
winter that possibly pushes humanity
to the brink of extinction. Pleistocene
ends with Oldest Dryas, Older
Dryas/Allerød and Younger Dryas
climate events, with Younger Dryas
forming the boundary with the
Holocene.
Piacenzian/Blancan Intensification of present Icehouse 3.6*
conditions, present (Quaternary) ice
age begins roughly 2.58 Ma; cool and
Pliocene dry climate. Australopithecines, many
Zanclean of the existing genera of mammals, 5.333*
and recent mollusks appear. Homo
habilis appears.
Messinian Moderate Icehouse climate, 7.246*
Tortonian punctuated by ice ages; Orogeny in 11.63*
Neogene Northern Hemisphere. Modern
Serravallian 13.82*
mammal and bird families become
Langhian recognizable. Horses and mastodons 15.97
Burdigalian diverse. Grasses become ubiquitous. 20.44
Miocene
First apes appear (for reference see
the article: "Sahelanthropus
tchadensis"). Kaikoura Orogeny *
Aquitanian forms Southern Alps in New Zealand, 23.03
continues today. Orogeny of the Alps
in Europe slows, but continues to this
 day. Carpathian orogeny forms
Carpathian Mountains in Central and
Eastern Europe. Hellenic orogeny in
Greece and Aegean Sea slows, but
continues to this day. Middle Miocene
Disruption occurs. Widespread forests
slowly draw in massive amounts of
CO2, gradually lowering the level of
atmospheric CO2 from 650 ppmv
down to around 100 ppmv.[33][34]
Chattian Warm but cooling climate, moving 28.1
towards Icehouse; Rapid evolution
and diversification of fauna,
Oligocene
Rupelian especially mammals. Major evolution 33.9*
and dispersal of modern types of
flowering plants
Priabonian Moderate, cooling climate. Archaic 37.8
Bartonian mammals (e.g. Creodonts, 41.2
Condylarths, Uintatheres, etc.)
Lutetian 47.8*
flourish and continue to develop
during the epoch. Appearance of
several "modern" mammal families.
Primitive whales diversify. First
grasses. Reglaciation of Antarctica
and formation of its ice cap; Azolla
Paleogene event triggers ice age, and the
Icehouse Earth climate that would
Eocene
follow it to this day, from the
Ypresian settlement and decay of seafloor algae 56*
drawing in massive amounts of
atmospheric carbon dioxide,[33][34]
lowering it from 3800 ppmv down to
650 ppmv. End of Laramide and
Sevier Orogenies of the Rocky
Mountains in North America.
Orogeny of the Alps in Europe
begins. Hellenic Orogeny begins in
Greece and Aegean Sea.
Thanetian Climate tropical. Modern plants 59.2*
Paleocene
Selandian appear; Mammals diversify into a 61.6*
 number of primitive lineages
following the extinction of the
dinosaurs. First large mammals (up to
bear or small hippo size). Alpine
Danian 66*
orogeny in Europe and Asia begins.
Indian Subcontinent collides with
Asia 55 Ma, Himalayan Orogeny
starts between 52 and 48 Ma.
Maastrichtian Flowering plants proliferate, along 72.1 ± 0.2*
Campanian with new types of insects. More 83.6 ± 0.2
modern teleost fish begin to appear.
Santonian 86.3 ± 0.5*
Late Ammonoidea, belemnites, rudist
Coniacian bivalves, echinoids and sponges all 89.8 ± 0.3
Turonian common. Many new types of 93.9*
Cenomanian dinosaurs (e.g. Tyrannosaurs, 100.5*
Albian Titanosaurs, duck bills, and horned ~113
dinosaurs) evolve on land, as do
Cretaceous Aptian Eusuchia (modern crocodilians); and ~125
Barremian mosasaurs and modern sharks appear ~129.4
Hauterivian in the sea. Primitive birds gradually ~132.9
Valanginian replace pterosaurs. Monotremes, ~139.8
Early marsupials and placental mammals
appear. Break up of Gondwana.
Beginning of Laramide and Sevier
Mesozoic Berriasian Orogenies of the Rocky Mountains. ~145
atmospheric CO2 close to present-day
levels.
Tithonian Gymnosperms (especially conifers, 152.1 ± 0.9
Late Kimmeridgian Bennettitales and cycads) and ferns 157.3 ± 1.0
Oxfordian common. Many types of dinosaurs, 163.5 ± 1.0
such as sauropods, carnosaurs, and
Callovian 166.1 ± 1.2
stegosaurs. Mammals common but
Bathonian small. First birds and lizards. 168.3 ± 1.3*
Middle
Jurassic Bajocian Ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs diverse. 170.3 ± 1.4*
Aalenian Bivalves, Ammonites and belemnites 174.1 ± 1.0*
abundant. Sea urchins very common,
Toarcian 182.7 ± 0.7*
along with crinoids, starfish, sponges,
Pliensbachian and terebratulid and rhynchonellid 190.8 ± 1.0*
Early
Sinemurian brachiopods. Breakup of Pangaea into 199.3 ± 0.3*
Hettangian Gondwana and Laurasia. Nevadan 201.3 ± 0.2*
 orogeny in North America. Rantigata
and Cimmerian Orogenies taper off.
Atmospheric CO2 levels 4–5 times the
present day levels (1200–1500 ppmv,
compared to today's 385 ppmv[33][34]).
Rhaetian Archosaurs dominant on land as ~208.5
Late Norian dinosaurs, in the oceans as ~227
Ichthyosaurs and nothosaurs, and in
Carnian ~237*
the air as pterosaurs. Cynodonts
Ladinian become smaller and more mammal- ~242*
Middle
Anisian like, while first mammals and 247.2
Olenekian crocodilia appear. Dicroidiumflora 251.2
common on land. Many large aquatic
temnospondyl amphibians. Ceratitic
Triassic ammonoids extremely common.
Modern corals and teleost fish appear,
as do many modern insect clades.
Early Andean Orogeny in South America. 252.17
Induan Cimmerian Orogeny in Asia. ± 0.06*
Rangitata Orogeny begins in New
Zealand. Hunter-Bowen Orogeny in
Northern Australia, Queensland and
New South Wales ends, (c. 260–225
Ma)
Landmasses unite into supercontinent 254.14
Changhsingian
Lopingian Pangaea, creating the Appalachians. ± 0.07*
Wuchiapingian End of Permo-Carboniferous 259.8 ± 0.4*
glaciation. Synapsid reptiles
Capitanian 265.1 ± 0.4*
(pelycosaurs and therapsids) become
Guadalupian Wordian/Kazanian plentiful, while parareptiles and 268.8 ± 0.5*
Roadian/Ufimian temnospondyl amphibians remain 272.3 ± 0.5*
Kungurian common. In the mid-Permian, coal- 283.5 ± 0.6
Paleozoic Permian
Artinskian age flora are replaced by cone-bearing 290.1 ± 0.26
gymnosperms (the first true seed
Sakmarian plants) and by the first true mosses. 295 ± 0.18
Cisuralian Beetles and flies evolve. Marine life
flourishes in warm shallow reefs; 298.9
Asselian productid and spiriferid brachiopods, ± 0.15*
bivalves, forams, and ammonoids all
abundant. Permian-Triassic extinction
 event occurs 251 Ma: 95% of life on
Earth becomes extinct, including all
trilobites, graptolites, and blastoids.
Ouachita and Innuitian orogenies in
North America. Uralian orogeny in
Europe/Asia tapers off. Altaid
orogeny in Asia. Hunter-Bowen
Orogeny on Australian continent
begins (c. 260–225 Ma), forming the
MacDonnell Ranges.
Gzhelian Winged insects radiate suddenly; 303.7 ± 0.1
Kasimovian some (esp. Protodonata and 307 ± 0.1
Palaeodictyoptera) are quite large.
Moscovian 315.2 ± 0.2
Amphibians common and diverse.
First reptiles and coal forests (scale
trees, ferns, club trees, giant
horsetails, Cordaites, etc.). Highest-
Pennsylvanian ever atmospheric oxygen levels.
Goniatites, brachiopods, bryozoa,
Bashkirian bivalves, and corals plentiful in the 323.2 ± 0.4*
seas and oceans. Testate forams
proliferate. Uralian orogeny in Europe
and Asia. Variscan orogeny occurs
towards middle and late Mississippian
Carbon- Periods.
iferous[36] Serpukhovian Large primitive trees, first land 330.9 ± 0.2
Viséan vertebrates, and amphibious sea- 346.7 ± 0.4*
scorpions live amid coal-forming
coastal swamps. Lobe-finned
rhizodonts are dominant big fresh-
water predators. In the oceans, early
sharks are common and quite diverse;
Mississippian echinoderms (especially crinoids and
Tournaisian blastoids) abundant. Corals, bryozoa, 358.9 ± 0.4*
goniatites and brachiopods
(Productida, Spiriferida, etc.) very
common, but trilobites and nautiloids
decline. Glaciation in East Gondwana.
Tuhua Orogeny in New Zealand
tapers off.
 Famennian First clubmosses, horsetails and ferns 372.2 ± 1.6*
Late appear, as do the first seed-bearing
Frasnian 382.7 ± 1.6*
plants (progymnosperms), first trees
Givetian 387.7 ± 0.8*
Middle (the progymnosperm Archaeopteris),
Eifelian and first (wingless) insects. 393.3 ± 1.2*
Emsian Strophomenid and atrypid 407.6 ± 2.6*
Pragian brachiopods, rugose and tabulate 410.8 ± 2.8*
corals, and crinoids are all abundant
in the oceans. Goniatite ammonoids
are plentiful, while squid-like coleoids
arise. Trilobites and armoured agnaths
Devonian
decline, while jawed fishes
(placoderms, lobe-finned and ray-
Early finned fish, and early sharks) rule the
Lochkovian seas. First amphibians still aquatic. 419.2 ± 3.2*
"Old Red Continent" of Euramerica.
Beginning of Acadian Orogeny for
Anti-Atlas Mountains of North
Africa, and Appalachian Mountains of
North America, also the Antler,
Variscan, and Tuhua Orogeny in New
Zealand.
Pridoli First Vascular plants (the 423 ± 2.3*
Ludfordian rhyniophytes and their relatives), first 425.6 ± 0.9*
Ludlow/Cayugan millipedes and arthropleurids on land.
Gorstian 427.4 ± 0.5*
First jawed fishes, as well as many
Homerian/ armoured jawless fish, populate the 430.5 ± 0.7*
Lockportian seas. Sea-scorpions reach large size.
Wenlock
Sheinwoodian/ Tabulate and rugose corals, 433.4 ± 0.8*
Tonawandan brachiopods (Pentamerida,
Telychian/ Rhynchonellida, etc.), and crinoids all
Silurian
abundant. Trilobites and mollusks 438.5 ± 1.1*
Ontarian
Aeronian diverse; graptolites not as varied. 440.8 ± 1.2*
Beginning of Caledonian Orogeny for
Llandovery/ hills in England, Ireland, Wales,
Alexandrian Scotland, and the Scandinavian
Rhuddanian Mountains. Also continued into 443.8 ± 1.5*
Devonian period as the Acadian
Orogeny, above. Taconic Orogeny
tapers off. Lachlan Orogeny on
 Australian continent tapers off.
Hirnantian Invertebrates diversify into many new 445.2 ± 1.4*
Late Katian types (e.g., long straight-shelled 453 ± 0.7*
cephalopods). Early corals, articulate
Sandbian 458.4 ± 0.9*
brachiopods (Orthida,
Darriwilian Strophomenida, etc.), bivalves, 467.3 ± 1.1*
Middle
Dapingian nautiloids, trilobites, ostracods, 470 ± 1.4*
Ordovician Floian bryozoa, many types of echinoderms
(crinoids, cystoids, starfish, etc.), 477.7 ± 1.4*
(formerly Arenig)
branched graptolites, and other taxa
Early all common. Conodonts (early
Tremadocian planktonic vertebrates) appear. First 485.4 ± 1.9*
green plants and fungi on land. Ice
age at end of period.
Stage 10 Major diversification of life in the ~489.5
Furongian Jiangshanian Cambrian Explosion. Numerous ~494*
fossils; most modern animal phyla
Paibian ~497*
appear. First chordates appear, along *
Guzhangian with a number of extinct, problematic ~500.5
*
Series 3 Drumian phyla. Reef-building Archaeocyatha ~504.5
Stage 5 abundant; then vanish. Trilobites, ~509
Stage 4 priapulid worms, sponges, inarticulate ~514
Series 2 brachiopods (unhinged lampshells),
Stage 3 and numerous other animals. ~521
Stage 2 Anomalocarids are giant predators, ~529
while many Ediacaran fauna die out.
Prokaryotes, protists (e.g., forams),
Cambrian
fungi and algae continue to present
day. Gondwana emerges. Petermann
Orogeny on the Australian continent
tapers off (550–535 Ma). Ross
Terreneuvian Orogeny in Antarctica. Adelaide
Fortunian Geosyncline (Delamerian Orogeny), 541 ± 1.0*
majority of orogenic activity from
514–500 Ma. Lachlan Orogeny on
Australian continent, c. 540–440 Ma.
Atmospheric CO2 content roughly 20–
35 times present-day (Holocene)
levels (6000 ppmv compared to
today's 385 ppmv)[33][34]
 Good fossils of the first multi-celled animals. Ediacaran biota flourish
worldwide in seas. Simple trace fossils of possible worm-like Trichophycus,
etc. First sponges and trilobitomorphs. Enigmatic forms include many soft-
Ediacaran jellied creatures shaped like bags, disks, or quilts (likeDickinsonia). Taconic ~635*
Orogeny in North America. Aravalli Range orogeny in Indian Subcontinent.
Beginning of Petermann Orogeny on Australian continent. Beardmore
Orogeny in Antarctica, 633–620 Ma.
Possible "Snowball Earth" period. Fossils still rare. Rodinia landmass begins to
Neoproterozoic[38] Cryogenian 720[39]
break up. Late Ruker / Nimrod Orogeny in Antarctica tapers off.
Rodinia supercontinent persists. Trace fossils of simple multi-celled
eukaryotes. First radiation of dinoflagellate-like acritarchs. Grenville Orogeny
tapers off in North America. Pan-African orogeny in Africa. Lake Ruker /
Tonian Nimrod Orogeny in Antarctica, 1000 ± 150 Ma. Edmundian Orogeny (c. 920 – 1000[39]
850 Ma), Gascoyne Complex, Western Australia. Adelaide Geosyncline laid
down on Australian continent, beginning of Adelaide Geosyncline (Delamerian
Orogeny) in that continent.
Narrow highly metamorphic belts due to orogeny as Rodinia forms. Late
Stenian Ruker / Nimrod Orogeny in Antarctica possibly begins. Musgrave Orogeny (c. 1200[39]
Proterozoic[38] 1080 Ma), Musgrave Block, Central Australia.
Precambrian[37] Mesoproterozoic[38] Platform covers continue to expand. Green algae colonies in the seas. Grenville
Ectasian 1400[39]
Orogeny in North America.
Platform covers expand. Barramundi Orogeny, McArthur Basin, Northern
Calymmian 1600[39]
Australia, and Isan Orogeny, c.1600 Ma, Mount Isa Block, Queensland
First complex single-celled life: protists with nuclei. Columbia is the
primordial supercontinent. Kimban Orogeny in Australian continent ends.
Statherian Yapungku Orogeny on Yilgarn craton, in Western Australia. Mangaroon 1800[39]
Orogeny, 1680–1620 Ma, on the Gascoyne Complex in Western Australia.
Kararan Orogeny (1650– Ma), Gawler Craton, South Australia.
The atmosphere becomes oxygenic. Vredefort and Sudbury Basin asteroid
Paleoproterozoic[38] impacts. Much orogeny. Penokean and Trans-Hudsonian Orogenies in North
Orosirian America. Early Ruker Orogeny in Antarctica, 2000–1700 Ma. Glenburgh 2050[39]
Orogeny, Glenburgh Terrane, Australian continent c. 2005–1920 Ma. Kimban
Orogeny, Gawler craton in Australian continent begins.
Rhyacian Bushveld Igneous Complex forms. Huronian glaciation. 2300[39]
Oxygen catastrophe: banded iron formations forms. Sleaford Orogeny on
Siderian 2500[39]
Australian continent, Gawler Craton 2440–2420 Ma.
Stabilization of most modern cratons; possible mantle overturn event. Insell Orogeny,
Archean[38] Neoarchean[38] 2800[39]
2650 ± 150 Ma. Abitibi greenstone belt in present-day Ontario and Quebec begins to form,
 stabilizes by 2600 Ma.
First stromatolites (probably colonial cyanobacteria). Oldest macrofossils. Humboldt
Mesoarchean[38] Orogeny in Antarctica. Blake River Megacaldera Complex begins to form in present-day 3200[39]
Ontario and Quebec, ends by roughly 2696 Ma.
First known oxygen-producing bacteria. Oldest definitive microfossils. Oldest cratons on
Paleoarchean[38] Earth (such as the Canadian Shield and the Pilbara Craton) may have formed during this 3600[39]
[40]
period. Rayner Orogeny in Antarctica.
Simple single-celled life (probably bacteria and archaea). Oldest probable microfossils. The
Eoarchean[38] first life forms and self-replicating RNA molecules evolve around 4000 Ma, after the Late 4000
Heavy Bombardment ends on Earth. Napier Orogeny in Antarctica, 4000 ± 200 Ma.
Indirect photosynthetic evidence (e.g., kerogen) of primordial life. This era overlaps the
Early Imbrian
beginning of the Late Heavy Bombardment of the Inner Solar System. Oldest known rock ~4100
(unofficial)[38][42]
(4030 Ma).[43]
Nectarian This unit gets its name from the lunar geologic timescale when the Nectaris Basin and
~4300
[38][41]
Hadean (unofficial)[38][42] other greater lunar basins form by big impact events.
Basin Groups
Oldest known mineral (Zircon, 4404 ± 8 Ma).[44] ~4500
(unofficial)[38][42]
Cryptic Formation of Moon (4533 Ma), probably from giant impact. Formation of Earth (4567.17
~4567
(unofficial)[38][42] to 4570 Ma)