Geologic time scale

The geologic time scale or geological time scale (GTS) is a represent at ion of t ime based on t he rock record of Eart h. It is a syst em of chronological
dat ing t hat uses chronost rat igraphy (t he process of relat ing st rat a t o t ime) and geochronology (a scient ific branch of geology t hat aims t o det ermine t he
age of rocks). It is used primarily by Eart h scient ist s (including geologist s, paleont ologist s, geophysicist s, geochemist s, and paleoclimat ologist s) t o
describe t he t iming and relat ionships of event s in geologic hist ory. The t ime scale has been developed t hrough t he st udy of rock layers and t he
observat ion of t heir relat ionships and ident ifying feat ures such as lit hologies, paleomagnet ic propert ies, and fossils. The definit ion of st andardised
int ernat ional unit s of geologic t ime is t he responsibilit y of t he Int ernat ional Commission on St rat igraphy (ICS), a const it uent body of t he Int ernat ional Union
of Geological Sciences (IUGS), whose primary object ive [1] is t o precisely define global chronost rat igraphic unit s of t he Int ernat ional Chronost rat igraphic
Chart (ICC)[2] t hat are used t o define divisions of geologic t ime. The chronost rat igraphic divisions are in t urn used t o define geochronologic unit s.[2]

The geologic time scale, proportionally represented

as a log-spiral with some major events in Earth's
history. A megaannus (Ma) represents one million
(106) years.

While some regional t erms are st ill in use,[3] t he t able of geologic t ime present ed in t his art icle conforms t o t he nomenclat ure, ages, and colour codes set
fort h by t he ICS.[1][4]

Principles
The geologic t ime scale is a way of represent ing deep t ime based on event s t hat have occurred t hroughout Eart h's hist ory, a t ime span of about
4.54 ± 0.05 Ga (4.54 billion years).[5] It chronologically organises st rat a, and subsequent ly t ime, by observing fundament al changes in st rat igraphy t hat
correspond t o major geological or paleont ological event s. For example, t he Cret aceous–Paleogene ext inct ion event , marks t he lower boundary of t he
Paleogene Syst em/Period and t hus t he boundary bet ween t he Cret aceous and Paleogene syst ems/periods. For divisions prior t o t he Cryogenian, arbit rary
numeric boundary definit ions (Global St andard St rat igraphic Ages, GSSAs) are used t o divide geologic t ime. Proposals have been made t o bet t er reconcile
t hese divisions wit h t he rock record.[6][3]

Hist orically, regional geologic t ime scales were used[3] due t o t he lit ho- and biost rat igraphic differences around t he world in t ime equivalent rocks. The ICS
has long worked t o reconcile conflict ing t erminology by st andardising globally significant and ident ifiable st rat igraphic horizons t hat can be used t o define
t he lower boundaries of chronost rat igraphic unit s. Defining chronost rat igraphic unit s in such a manner allows for t he use of global, st andardised
nomenclat ure. The ICC represent s t his ongoing effort .

The relat ive relat ionships of rocks for det ermining t heir chronost rat igraphic posit ions use t he overriding principles of:[7][8][9][10]
 Superposition – Newer rock beds will lie on top of older rock beds
unless the succession has been overturned.
Horizontality – All rock layers were originally deposited
horizontally.[note 1]
Lateral continuity – Originally deposited layers of rock extend
laterally in all directions until either thinning out or being cut off by
a different rock layer.
Biologic succession (where applicable) – This states that each
stratum in a succession contains a distinctive set of fossils. This
allows for a correlation of the stratum even when the horizon
between them is not continuous.
Cross-cutting relationships – A rock feature that cuts across
another feature must be younger than the rock it cuts across.
Inclusion – Small fragments of one type of rock but embedded in
a second type of rock must have formed first, and were included
when the second rock was forming.
Relationships of unconformities – Geologic features representing
periods of erosion or non-deposition, indicating non-continuous
sediment deposition.

Terminology
The GTS is divided int o chronost rat igraphic unit s and t heir corresponding geochronologic unit s. These are represent ed on t he ICC published by t he ICS;
however, regional t erms are st ill in use in some areas.
Chronostratigraphy is t he element of st rat igraphy t hat deals wit h t he relat ion bet ween rock bodies and t he relat ive measurement of geological t ime.[11] It
is t he process where dist inct st rat a bet ween defined st rat igraphic horizons are assigned t o represent a relat ive int erval of geologic t ime.

A chronostratigraphic unit is a body of rock, layered or unlayered, t hat is defined bet ween specified st rat igraphic horizons which represent specified
int ervals of geologic t ime. They include all rocks represent at ive of a specific int erval of geologic t ime, and only t his t ime span.[11] Eonot hem, erat hem,
syst em, series, subseries, st age, and subst age are t he hierarchical chronost rat igraphic unit s.[11] Geochronology is t he scient ific branch of geology t hat aims
t o det ermine t he age of rocks, fossils, and sediment s eit her t hrough absolut e (e.g., radiomet ric dat ing) or relat ive means (e.g., st rat igraphic posit ion,
paleomagnet ism, st able isot ope rat ios).[12]

A geochronologic unit is a subdivision of geologic t ime. It is a numeric represent at ion of an int angible propert y (t ime).[12] Eon, era, period, epoch, subepoch,
age, and subage are t he hierarchical geochronologic unit s.[11] Geochronometry is t he field of geochronology t hat numerically quant ifies geologic t ime.[12]

A Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) is an int ernat ionally agreed upon reference point on a st rat igraphic sect ion which defines t he lower
boundaries of st ages on t he geologic t ime scale.[13] (Recent ly t his has been used t o define t he base of a syst em)[14]

A Global Standard Stratigraphic Age (GSSA)[15] is a numeric only, chronologic reference point used t o define t he base of geochronologic unit s prior t o t he
Cryogenian. These point s are arbit rarily defined.[11] They are used where GSSPs have not yet been est ablished. Research is ongoing t o define GSSPs for
t he base of all unit s t hat are current ly defined by GSSAs.

The numeric (geochronomet ric) represent at ion of a geochronologic unit can, and is more oft en subject t o change when geochronology refines t he
geochronomet ry, while t he equivalent chronost rat igraphic unit remains t he same, and t heir revision is less common. For example, in early 2022 t he boundary
bet ween t he Ediacaran and Cambrian periods (geochronologic unit s) was revised from 541 Ma t o 538.8 Ma but t he rock definit ion of t he boundary (GSSP)
at t he base of t he Cambrian, and t hus t he boundary bet ween t he Ediacaran and Cambrian syst ems (chronost rat igraphic unit s) has not changed, merely t he
geochronomet ry has been refined.

The numeric values on t he ICC are represent ed by t he unit Ma (megaannum) meaning "million years", i.e., 201.4 ± 0.2 Ma, t he lower boundary of t he Jurassic
Period, is defined as 201,400,000 years old wit h an uncert aint y of 200,000 years. Ot her SI prefix unit s commonly used by geologist s are Ga (gigaannum,
billion years), and ka (kiloannum, t housand years), wit h t he lat t er oft en represent ed in calibrat ed unit s (before present ).

Divisions of geologic time

An eon is the largest geochronologic time unit and is equivalent to

a chronostratigraphic eonothem.[16] There are four formally
defined eons: the Hadean, Archean, Proterozoic and
Phanerozoic.[2]
An era is the second largest geochronologic time unit and is
equivalent to a chronostratigraphic erathem.[11][16] There are ten
defined eras: the Eoarchean, Paleoarchean, Mesoarchean,
Neoarchean, Paleoproterozoic, Mesoproterozoic, Neoproterozoic,
 Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic, with none from the Hadean
eon.[2]
A period is equivalent to a chronostratigraphic system.[11][16]
There are 22 defined periods, with the current being the
Quaternary period.[2] As an exception two subperiods are used for
the Carboniferous Period.[11]
An epoch is the second smallest geochronologic unit. It is
equivalent to a chronostratigraphic series.[11][16] There are 37
defined epochs and one informal one. There are also 11
subepochs which are all within the Neogene and Quaternary.[2] The
use of subepochs as formal units in international
chronostratigraphy was ratified in 2022.[17]
An age is the smallest hierarchical geochronologic unit and is
equivalent to a chronostratigraphic stage.[11][16] There are 96
formal and five informal ages.[2]
A chron is a non-hierarchical formal geochronology unit of
unspecified rank and is equivalent to a chronostratigraphic
chronozone.[11] These correlate with magnetostratigraphic,
lithostratigraphic, or biostratigraphic units as they are based on
previously defined stratigraphic units or geologic features.
The Early and Late subdivisions are used as t he geochronologic equivalent s of t he chronost rat igraphic Lower and Upper, e.g., Early Triassic Period
(geochronologic unit ) is used in place of Lower Triassic Series (chronost rat igraphic unit ).

Rocks represent ing a given chronost rat igraphic unit are t hat chronost rat igraphic unit , and t he t ime t hey were laid down in is t he geochronologic unit , i.e., t he
rocks t hat represent t he Silurian Series are t he Silurian Series and t hey were deposit ed during t he Silurian Period.
Formal, hierarchical units of the geologic time scale (largest to smallest)

Chronostratigraphic unit (strata) Geochronologic unit (time) Time span[note 2]

Eonot hem Eon Several hundred million years t o t wo billion years

Erat hem Era Tens t o hundreds of millions of years

Syst em Period Millions of years t o t ens of millions of years

Series Epoch Hundreds of t housands of years t o t ens of millions of years

Subseries Subepoch Thousands of years t o millions of years

St age Age Thousands of years t o millions of years

Naming of geologic time

The names of geologic t ime unit s are defined for chronost rat igraphic unit s wit h t he corresponding geochronologic unit sharing t he same name wit h a
change t o t he lat t er (e.g. Phanerozoic Eonot hem becomes t he Phanerozoic Eon). Names of erat hems in t he Phanerozoic were chosen t o reflect major
changes in t he hist ory of life on Eart h: Paleozoic (old life), Mesozoic (middle life), and Cenozoic (new life). Names of syst ems are diverse in origin, wit h
some indicat ing chronologic posit ion (e.g., Paleogene), while ot hers are named for lit hology (e.g., Cret aceous), geography (e.g., Permian), or are t ribal (e.g.,
Ordovician) in origin. Most current ly recognised series and subseries are named for t heir posit ion wit hin a syst em/series (early/middle/lat e); however, t he
ICS advocat es for all new series and subseries t o be named for a geographic feat ure in t he vicinit y of it s st rat ot ype or t ype localit y. The name of st ages
should also be derived from a geographic feat ure in t he localit y of it s st rat ot ype or t ype localit y.[11]

Informally, t he t ime before t he Cambrian is oft en referred t o as t he Precambrian or pre-Cambrian (Supereon).[6][note 3]

Time span and etymology of ICS eonothem/eon names

Duration
Name Time span (million Etymology of name
years)

From t he Greek words φανερός

(phanerós ) meaning 'visible' or
Phanerozoic 538.8 t o 0 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=538.8%E2%80%930) million years ago 538.8
'abundant ', and ζωή (zoē)
meaning 'life'.

From t he Greek words

πρότερος (próteros ) meaning
Prot erozoic 2,500 t o 538.8 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=2500%E2%80%93538.8) million years ago 1961.2
'former' or 'earlier', and ζωή
(zoē) meaning 'life'.

From t he Greek word αρχή

Archean 4,031 t o 2,500 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=4031%E2%80%932500) million years ago 1531 (archē), meaning 'beginning,
origin'.

From Hades, Greek: ᾍδης,

translit. Háidēs , t he god of t he
Hadean 4,567.3 t o 4,031 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=4567.3%E2%80%934031) million years ago 536.3
underworld (hell, t he inferno) in
Greek myt hology.
Time span and etymology of ICS erathem/era names

Duration
Name Time span (million Etymology of name
years)

From t he Greek words καινός

Cenozoic 66 t o 0 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=66%E2%80%930) million years ago 66 (kainós ) meaning 'new', and
ζωή (zōḗ) meaning 'life'.

From t he Greek words μέσο

Mesozoic 251.9 t o 66 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=251.9%E2%80%9366) million years ago 185.902 (méso) meaning 'middle', and
ζωή (zōḗ) meaning 'life'.

From t he Greek words παλιός

Paleozoic 538.8 t o 251.9 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=538.8%E2%80%93251.9) million years ago 286.898 (palaiós ) meaning 'old', and
ζωή (zōḗ) meaning 'life'.

From t he Greek words νέος

(néos ) meaning 'new' or
Neoprot erozoic 1,000 t o 538.8 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=1000%E2%80%93538.8) million years ago 461.2 'young', πρότερος (próteros )
meaning 'former' or 'earlier',
and ζωή (zōḗ) meaning 'life'.

From t he Greek words μέσο

(méso) meaning 'middle',
Mesoprot erozoic 1,600 t o 1,000 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=1600%E2%80%931000) million years ago 600 πρότερος (próteros ) meaning
'former' or 'earlier', and ζωή
(zōḗ) meaning 'life'.

From t he Greek words παλιός

(palaiós ) meaning 'old',
Paleoprot erozoic 2,500 t o 1,600 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=2500%E2%80%931600) million years ago 900 πρότερος (próteros ) meaning
'former' or 'earlier', and ζωή
(zōḗ) meaning 'life'.

From t he Greek words νέος

(néos ) meaning 'new' or
Neoarchean 2,800 t o 2,500 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=2800%E2%80%932500) million years ago 300
'young', and ἀρχαῖος
(arkhaîos ) meaning 'ancient '.

From t he Greek words μέσο

(méso) meaning 'middle', and
Mesoarchean 3,200 t o 2,800 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=3200%E2%80%932800) million years ago 400
ἀρχαῖος (arkhaîos ) meaning
'ancient '.

From t he Greek words παλιός

(palaiós ) meaning 'old', and
Paleoarchean 3,600 t o 3,200 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=3600%E2%80%933200) million years ago 400
ἀρχαῖος (arkhaîos ) meaning
'ancient '.

From t he Greek words Ηώς

(Ēṓs ) meaning 'dawn', and
Eoarchean 4,031 t o 3,600 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=4031%E2%80%933600) million years ago 431
ἀρχαῖος (arkhaîos ) meaning
'ancient '.
Time span and etymology of ICS system/period names

Duration
Name Time span (million Etymology of name
years)

First int roduced by Jules

Desnoyers in 1829 for
sediment s in France's Seine
Quat ernary[note 4] 2.6 t o 0 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=2.6%E2%80%930) million years ago 2.58
Basin t hat appeared t o be
younger t han Tert iary[note 5]
rocks.[18]

Derived from t he Greek words

νέος (néos ) meaning 'new', and
Neogene 23 t o 2.6 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=23%E2%80%932.6) million years ago 20.45
γενεά (geneá ) meaning 'genesis'
or 'birt h'.

Derived from t he Greek words

παλιός (palaiós ) meaning 'old',
Paleogene 66 t o 23 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=66%E2%80%9323) million years ago 42.97
and γενεά (geneá ) meaning
'genesis' or 'birt h'.

Derived from Terrain Crétacé

used in 1822 by Jean d'Omalius
d'Halloy in reference t o
Cret aceous ~145 t o 66 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=145%E2%80%9366) million years ago ~79 ext ensive beds of chalk wit hin
t he Paris Basin.[19] Ult imat ely
derived from t he Lat in crēt a
meaning chalk.

Named aft er t he Jura

Mount ains. Originally used by
Alexander von Humboldt as
Jurassic 201.4 t o 145 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=201.4%E2%80%93145) million years ago ~56.4 'Jura Kalkst ein' (Jura limest one)
in 1799.[20] Alexandre Brongniart
was t he first t o publish t he
t erm Jurassic in 1829.[21][22]

From t he Trias of Friedrich

August von Albert i in reference
Triassic 251.9 t o 201.4 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=251.9%E2%80%93201.4) million years ago 50.502
t o a t rio of format ions
widespread in sout hern Germany

Named aft er t he hist orical

Permian 298.9 t o 251.9 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=298.9%E2%80%93251.9) million years ago 46.998 region of Perm, Russian
Empire.[23]

Means 'coal-bearing', from t he

Carboniferous 358.9 t o 298.9 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=358.9%E2%80%93298.9) million years ago 60 Lat in carbō (coal) and ferō (to
bear, carry).[24]

Devonian 419.2 t o 358.9 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=419.2%E2%80%93358.9) million years ago 60.3 Named aft er Devon, England.[25]

Named aft er t he Celt ic t ribe,

Silurian 443.8 t o 419.2 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=443.8%E2%80%93419.2) million years ago 24.6
t he Silures.[26]

Named aft er t he Celt ic t ribe,

Ordovician 485.4 t o 443.8 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=485.4%E2%80%93443.8) million years ago 41.6
Ordovices.[27][28]

Named for Cambria, a lat inised

Cambrian 538.8 t o 485.4 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=538.8%E2%80%93485.4) million years ago 53.4 form of t he Welsh name for
Wales, Cymru.[29]
 Named for t he Ediacara Hills.
Ediacara is possibly a corrupt ion
Ediacaran 635 t o 538.8 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=635%E2%80%93538.8) million years ago ~96.2 of t he Kuyani words 'Yat a
Takarra' meaning hard or st ony
ground.[30][31]

From t he Greek words κρύος

(krýos ) meaning 'cold', and,
Cryogenian 720 t o 635 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=720%E2%80%93635) million years ago ~85
γένεσις (génesis ) meaning
'birt h'.[3]

From t he Greek word τόνος

Tonian 1,000 t o 720 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=1000%E2%80%93720) million years ago ~280
(tónos ) meaning 'st ret ch'.[3]

From t he Greek word στενός

St enian 1,200 t o 1,000 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=1200%E2%80%931000) million years ago 200
(stenós ) meaning 'narrow'.[3]

From t he Greek word ἔκτᾰσῐς

Ect asian 1,400 t o 1,200 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=1400%E2%80%931200) million years ago 200
(éktasis ) meaning 'ext ension'.[3]

From t he Greek word κάλυμμᾰ

Calymmian 1,600 t o 1,400 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=1600%E2%80%931400) million years ago 200
(kálumma ) meaning 'cover'.[3]

From t he Greek word σταθερός

St at herian 1,800 t o 1,600 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=1800%E2%80%931600) million years ago 200
(statherós ) meaning 'st able'.[3]

From t he Greek word ὀροσειρά

Orosirian 2,050 t o 1,800 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=2050%E2%80%931800) million years ago 250 (oroseirá ) meaning 'mount ain
range'.[3]

From t he Greek word ῥύαξ

Rhyacian 2,300 t o 2,050 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=2300%E2%80%932050) million years ago 250 (rhýax) meaning 'st ream of
lava'.[3]

From t he Greek word σίδηρος

Siderian 2,500 t o 2,300 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=2500%E2%80%932300) million years ago 200
(sídēros ) meaning 'iron'.[3]
Time span and etymology of ICS series/epoch names

Duration
Name Time span (million Etymology of name
years)

From t he Greek words ὅλος

(hólos ) meaning 'whole', and
Holocene 0.012 t o 0 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=0.012%E2%80%930) million years ago 0.0117
καινός (kainós ) meaning
'new' via French

Coined in t he early 1830s

from t he Greek words
Pleist ocene 2.58 t o 0.012 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=2.58%E2%80%930.012) million years ago 2.5683 πλεῖστος (pleîstos ) meaning
'most ', and καινός (kainós )
meaning 'new'

Coined in t he early 1830s

from t he Greek words
Pliocene 5.33 t o 2.58 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=5.33%E2%80%932.58) million years ago 2.753 πλείων (pleíōn) meaning
'more', and καινός (kainós )
meaning 'new'

Coined in t he early 1830s

from t he Greek words μείων
Miocene 23.03 t o 5.33 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=23.03%E2%80%935.33) million years ago 17.697 (meíōn) meaning 'less', and
καινός (kainós ) meaning
'new'

Coined in t he 1850s from

t he Greek words ὀλίγος
Oligocene 33.9 t o 23.03 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=33.9%E2%80%9323.03) million years ago 10.87 (olígos ) meaning 'few', and
καινός (kainós ) meaning
'new' via German

Coined in t he early 1830s

from t he Greek words ἠώς
(ēōs ) meaning 'dawn', and
Eocene 56 t o 33.9 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=56%E2%80%9333.9) million years ago 22.1 καινός (kainós ) meaning
'new', referring t o t he dawn
of modern life during t his
epoch

Coined by Wilhelm Philippe

Schimper in 1874 as a
port mant eau of paleo- +
Eocene, but on t he surface
Paleocene 66 t o 56 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=66%E2%80%9356) million years ago 10
from t he Greek words
παλαιός (palaios ) meaning
'old', and καινός (kainós )
meaning 'new' via French

Upper
100.5 t o 66 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=100.5%E2%80%9366) million years ago 34.5
Cret aceous
See Cret aceous
Lower
145 t o 100.5 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=145%E2%80%93100.5) million years ago 44.5
Cret aceous

Upper Jurassic 161.5 t o 145 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=161.5%E2%80%93145) million years ago 16.5 See Jurassic

Middle
174.7 t o 161.5 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=174.7%E2%80%93161.5) million years ago 13.2
Jurassic
Lower Jurassic 201.4 t o 174.7 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=201.4%E2%80%93174.7) million years ago 26.7

Upper Triassic 237 t o 201.4 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=237%E2%80%93201.4) million years ago 35.6

Middle Triassic 247.2 t o 237 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=247.2%E2%80%93237) million years ago 10.2 See Triassic

Lower Triassic 251.9 t o 247.2 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=251.9%E2%80%93247.2) million years ago 4.702

Named for Loping, China, an

anglicizat ion of t he Mandarin
Lopingian 259.51 t o 251.9 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=259.51%E2%80%93251.9) million years ago 7.608
word 乐平 (lèpíng) meaning
'peaceful music'

Named for t he Guadalupe

Mount ains of t he American
Sout hwest , ult imat ely from
Guadalupian 273.01 t o 259.51 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=273.01%E2%80%93259.51) million years ago 13.5 Arabic ‫( َو اِد ي ٱل‬wādī al)
meaning 'valley of t he', and
Lat in lupus meaning 'wolf'
via Spanish

From Lat in cis- (before) +

Russian Урал (Ural), referring
Cisuralian 298.9 t o 273.01 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=298.9%E2%80%93273.01) million years ago 25.89
t o t he west ern slopes of
t he Ural Mount ains

Upper
307 t o 298.9 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=307%E2%80%93298.9) million years ago 8.1 Named for t he US st at e of
Pennsylvanian
Pennsylvania, from William
Middle
315.2 t o 307 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=315.2%E2%80%93307) million years ago 8.2 Penn + Lat in silvanus
Pennsylvanian
(forest ) + -ia by analogy t o
Lower Transylvania
323.2 t o 315.2 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=323.2%E2%80%93315.2) million years ago 8
Pennsylvanian

Upper
330.9 t o 323.2 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=330.9%E2%80%93323.2) million years ago 7.7
Mississippian Named for t he Mississippi
Middle River, from t he Ojibwe word
346.7 t o 330.9 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=346.7%E2%80%93330.9) million years ago 15.8
Mississippian ᒥᐦᓯᓰᐱ (misi-ziibi) meaning
'great river'
Lower
358.9 t o 346.7 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=358.9%E2%80%93346.7) million years ago 12.2
Mississippian

Upper
382.7 t o 358.9 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=382.7%E2%80%93358.9) million years ago 23.8
Devonian

Middle
393.3 t o 382.7 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=393.3%E2%80%93382.7) million years ago 10.6 See Devonian
Devonian

Lower
419.2 t o 393.3 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=419.2%E2%80%93393.3) million years ago 25.9
Devonian

Named for t he Homolka a

Pridoli 423 t o 419.2 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=423%E2%80%93419.2) million years ago 3.8 Přídolí nat ure reserve near
Prague, Czechia

Named aft er Ludlow,

Ludlow 427.4 t o 423 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=427.4%E2%80%93423) million years ago 4.4
England

Named for t he Wenlock

Wenlock 433.4 t o 427.4 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=433.4%E2%80%93427.4) million years ago 6
Edge in Shropshire, England

Named aft er Llandovery,

Llandovery 443.8 t o 433.4 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=443.8%E2%80%93433.4) million years ago 10.4
Wales

Upper See Ordovician

458.4 t o 443.8 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=458.4%E2%80%93443.8) million years ago 14.6
Ordovician
Middle
470 t o 458.4 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=470%E2%80%93458.4) million years ago 11.6
Ordovician

Lower
485.4 t o 470 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=485.4%E2%80%93470) million years ago 15.4
Ordovician

From t he Mandarin word 芙

Furongian 497 t o 485.4 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=497%E2%80%93485.4) million years ago 11.6
蓉 (fúróng) meaning 'lot us',
referring t o t he st at e
symbol of Hunan

Named for t he Miao Ling

mount ains of Guizhou,
Miaolingian 509 t o 497 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=509%E2%80%93497) million years ago 12
Mandarin for 'sprout ing
peaks'

Cambrian
Series 2 521 t o 509 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=521%E2%80%93509) million years ago 12 See Cambrian
(informal)

Named for Terre-Neuve, a

Terreneuvian 538.8 t o 521 (ht t ps://geolt ime.git hub.io/?Ma=538.8%E2%80%93521) million years ago 17.8 French calque of
Newfoundland

History of the geologic time scale

Early history
While a modern geological t ime scale was not formulat ed unt il 1911[32] by Art hur Holmes, t he broader concept t hat rocks and t ime are relat ed can be
t raced back t o (at least ) t he philosophers of Ancient Greece. Xenophanes of Colophon (c. 570–487 BCE) observed rock beds wit h fossils of shells locat ed
above t he sea-level, viewed t hem as once living organisms, and used t his t o imply an unst able relat ionship in which t he sea had at t imes t ransgressed over
t he land and at ot her t imes had regressed.[33] This view was shared by a few of Xenophanes' cont emporaries and t hose t hat followed, including Arist ot le
(384–322 BCE) who (wit h addit ional observat ions) reasoned t hat t he posit ions of land and sea had changed over long periods of t ime. The concept of
deep t ime was also recognised by Chinese nat uralist Shen Kuo[34] (1031–1095) and Islamic scient ist -philosophers, not ably t he Brot hers of Purit y, who
wrot e on t he processes of st rat ificat ion over t he passage of t ime in t heir t reat ises.[33] Their work likely inspired t hat of t he 11t h-cent ury Persian polymat h
Avicenna (Ibn Sînâ, 980–1037) who wrot e in The Book of Healing (1027) on t he concept of st rat ificat ion and superposit ion, pre-dat ing Nicolas St eno by
more t han six cent uries.[33] Avicenna also recognised fossils as "pet rificat ions of t he bodies of plant s and animals",[35] wit h t he 13t h-cent ury Dominican
bishop Albert us Magnus (c. 1200–1280) ext ending t his int o a t heory of a pet rifying fluid.[36] These works appeared t o have lit t le influence on scholars in
Medieval Europe who looked t o t he Bible t o explain t he origins of fossils and sea-level changes, oft en at t ribut ing t hese t o t he 'Deluge', including Rist oro
d'Arezzo in 1282.[33] It was not unt il t he It alian Renaissance when Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) would reinvigorat e t he relat ionships bet ween
st rat ificat ion, relat ive sea-level change, and t ime, denouncing at t ribut ion of fossils t o t he 'Deluge':[37][33]

Of the stupidity and ignorance of those who imagine that these creatures were carried to such places distant from the sea by the
Deluge...Why do we find so many fragments and whole shells between the different layers of stone unless they had been upon the shore and
had been covered over by earth newly thrown up by the sea which then became petrified? And if the above-mentioned Deluge had carried
them to these places from the sea, you would find the shells at the edge of one layer of rock only, not at the edge of many where may be
counted the winters of the years during which the sea multiplied the layers of sand and mud brought down by the neighboring rivers and
spread them over its shores. And if you wish to say that there must have been many deluges in order to produce these layers and the shells
among them it would then become necessary for you to affirm that such a deluge took place every year.
These views of da Vinci remained unpublished, and t hus lacked influence at t he t ime; however, quest ions of fossils and t heir significance were pursued and,
while views against Genesis were not readily accept ed and dissent from religious doct rine was in some places unwise, scholars such as Girolamo
Fracast oro shared da Vinci's views, and found t he at t ribut ion of fossils t o t he 'Deluge' absurd.[33]

Establishment of primary principles

Niels St ensen, more commonly known as Nicolas St eno (1638–1686), is credit ed wit h est ablishing four of t he guiding principles of st rat igraphy.[33] In De
solido intra solidum naturaliter contento dissertationis prodromus St eno st at es:[7][38]

When any given stratum was being formed, all

the matter resting on it was fluid and, therefore,
when the lowest stratum was being formed,
none of the upper strata existed.
...strata which are either perpendicular to the
horizon or inclined to it were at one time
parallel to the horizon.
When any given stratum was being formed, it
was either encompassed at its edges by another
solid substance or it covered the whole globe of
the earth. Hence, it follows that wherever bared
edges of strata are seen, either a continuation
of the same strata must be looked for or
another solid substance must be found that kept
the material of the strata from being dispersed.
 If a body or discontinuity cuts across a stratum,
it must have formed after that stratum.

Respect ively, t hese are t he principles of superposit ion, original horizont alit y, lat eral cont inuit y, and cross-cut t ing relat ionships. From t his St eno reasoned
t hat st rat a were laid down in succession and inferred relat ive t ime (in St eno's belief, t ime from Creat ion). While St eno's principles were simple and
at t ract ed much at t ent ion, applying t hem proved challenging.[33] These basic principles, albeit wit h improved and more nuanced int erpret at ions, st ill form
t he foundat ional principles of det ermining t he correlat ion of st rat a relat ive t o geologic t ime.

Over t he course of t he 18t h-cent ury geologist s realised t hat :

Sequences of strata often become eroded, distorted, tilted, or

even inverted after deposition
Strata laid down at the same time in different areas could have
entirely different appearances
The strata of any given area represented only part of Earth's long
history

Formulation of a modern geologic time scale

The apparent , earliest formal division of t he geologic record wit h respect t o t ime was int roduced by Thomas Burnet who applied a t wo-fold t erminology t o
mount ains by ident ifying "montes primarii" for rock formed at t he t ime of t he 'Deluge', and younger "monticulos secundarios" formed lat er from t he debris
of t he "primarii".[39][33] This at t ribut ion t o t he 'Deluge', while quest ioned earlier by t he likes of da Vinci, was t he foundat ion of Abraham Got t lob Werner's
(1749–1817) Nept unism t heory in which all rocks precipit at ed out of a single flood.[40] A compet ing t heory, Plut onism, was developed by Ant on Moro
(1687–1784) and also used primary and secondary divisions for rock unit s.[41][33] In t his early version of t he Plut onism t heory, t he int erior of Eart h was seen
as hot , and t his drove t he creat ion of primary igneous and met amorphic rocks and secondary rocks formed cont ort ed and fossiliferous sediment s. These
primary and secondary divisions were expanded on by Giovanni Targioni Tozzet t i (1712–1783) and Giovanni Arduino (1713–1795) t o include t ert iary and
quat ernary divisions.[33] These divisions were used t o describe bot h t he t ime during which t he rocks were laid down, and t he collect ion of rocks t hemselves
(i.e., it was correct t o say Tert iary rocks, and Tert iary Period). Only t he Quat ernary division is ret ained in t he modern geologic t ime scale, while t he Tert iary
division was in use unt il t he early 21st cent ury. The Nept unism and Plut onism t heories would compet e int o t he early 19t h cent ury wit h a key driver for
resolut ion of t his debat e being t he work of James Hut t on (1726–1797), in part icular his Theory of the Earth, first present ed before t he Royal Societ y of
Edinburgh in 1785.[42][8][43] Hut t on's t heory would lat er become known as uniformit arianism, popularised by John Playfair[44] (1748–1819) and lat er Charles
Lyell (1797–1875) in his Principles of Geology.[9][45][46] Their t heories st rongly cont est ed t he 6,000 year age of t he Eart h as suggest ed det ermined by
James Ussher via Biblical chronology t hat was accept ed at t he t ime by west ern religion. Inst ead, using geological evidence, t hey cont est ed Eart h t o be
much older, cement ing t he concept of deep t ime.

During t he early 19t h cent ury William Smit h, Georges Cuvier, Jean d'Omalius d'Halloy, and Alexandre Brongniart pioneered t he syst emat ic division of rocks
by st rat igraphy and fossil assemblages. These geologist s began t o use t he local names given t o rock unit s in a wider sense, correlat ing st rat a across
nat ional and cont inent al boundaries based on t heir similarit y t o each ot her. Many of t he names below erat hem/era rank in use on t he modern ICC/GTS were
det ermined during t he early t o mid-19t h cent ury.
The advent of geochronometry
During t he 19t h cent ury, t he debat e regarding Eart h's age was renewed, wit h geologist s est imat ing ages based on denudat ion rat es and sediment ary
t hicknesses or ocean chemist ry, and physicist s det ermining ages for t he cooling of t he Eart h or t he Sun using basic t hermodynamics or orbit al physics.[5]
These est imat ions varied from 15,000 million years t o 0.075 million years depending on met hod and aut hor, but t he est imat ions of Lord Kelvin and Clarence
King were held in high regard at t he t ime due t o t heir pre-eminence in physics and geology. All of t hese early geochronomet ric det erminat ions would lat er
prove t o be incorrect .

The discovery of radioact ive decay by Henri Becquerel, Marie Curie, and Pierre Curie laid t he ground work for radiomet ric dat ing, but t he knowledge and
t ools required for accurat e det erminat ion of radiomet ric ages would not be in place unt il t he mid-1950s.[5] Early at t empt s at det ermining ages of uranium
minerals and rocks by Ernest Rut herford, Bert ram Bolt wood, Robert St rut t , and Art hur Holmes, would culminat e in what are considered t he first
int ernat ional geological t ime scales by Holmes in 1911 and 1913.[32][47][48] The discovery of isot opes in 1913[49] by Frederick Soddy, and t he development s
in mass spect romet ry pioneered by Francis William Ast on, Art hur Jeffrey Dempst er, and Alfred O. C. Nier during t he early t o mid-20t h cent ury would finally
allow for t he accurat e det erminat ion of radiomet ric ages, wit h Holmes publishing several revisions t o his geological time-scale wit h his final version in
1960.[5][48][50][51]

Modern international geologic time scale

The est ablishment of t he IUGS in 1961[52] and accept ance of t he Commission on St rat igraphy (applied in 1965)[53] t o become a member commission of
IUGS led t o t he founding of t he ICS. One of t he primary object ives of t he ICS is "t he est ablishment , publicat ion and revision of t he ICS Int ernat ional
Chronost rat igraphic Chart which is t he st andard, reference global Geological Time Scale t o include t he rat ified Commission decisions".[1]

Following on from Holmes, several A Geological Time Scale books were published in 1982,[54] 1989,[55] 2004,[56] 2008,[57] 2012,[58] 2016,[59] and 2020.[60]
However, since 2013, t he ICS has t aken responsibilit y for producing and dist ribut ing t he ICC cit ing t he commercial nat ure, independent creat ion, and lack of
oversight by t he ICS on t he prior published GTS versions (GTS books prior t o 2013) alt hough t hese versions were published in close associat ion wit h t he
ICS.[2] Subsequent Geologic Time Scale books (2016[59] and 2020[60]) are commercial publicat ions wit h no oversight from t he ICS, and do not ent irely
conform t o t he chart produced by t he ICS. The ICS produced GTS chart s are versioned (year/mont h) beginning at v2013/01. At least one new version is
published each year incorporat ing any changes rat ified by t he ICS since t he prior version.

The following five t imelines show t he geologic t ime scale t o scale. The first shows t he ent ire t ime from t he format ion of t he Eart h t o t he present , but t his
gives lit t le space for t he most recent eon. The second t imeline shows an expanded view of t he most recent eon. In a similar way, t he most recent era is
expanded in t he t hird t imeline, t he most recent period is expanded in t he fourt h t imeline, and t he most recent epoch is expanded in t he fift h t imeline.

Horizontal scale is Millions of years (above timelines) / Thousands of years (below timeline)
Major proposed revisions to the ICC

Proposed Anthropocene Series/Epoch

First suggest ed in 2000,[61] t he Anthropocene is a proposed epoch/series for t he most recent t ime in Eart h's hist ory. While st ill informal, it is a widely used
t erm t o denot e t he present geologic t ime int erval, in which many condit ions and processes on Eart h are profoundly alt ered by human impact .[62] As of
April 2022 t he Ant hropocene has not been rat ified by t he ICS; however, in May 2019 t he Ant hropocene Working Group vot ed in favour of submit t ing a
formal proposal t o t he ICS for t he est ablishment of t he Ant hropocene Series/Epoch.[63] Nevert heless, t he definit ion of t he Ant hropocene as a geologic
t ime period rat her t han a geologic event remains cont roversial and difficult .[64][65][66][67]

Proposals for revisions to pre-Cryogenian timeline

Shields et al. 2021

An int ernat ional working group of t he ICS on pre-Cryogenian chronost rat igraphic subdivision have out lined a t emplat e t o improve t he pre-Cryogenian
geologic t ime scale based on t he rock record t o bring it in line wit h t he post -Tonian geologic t ime scale.[6] This work assessed t he geologic hist ory of t he
current ly defined eons and eras of t he pre-Cambrian,[note 3] and t he proposals in t he "Geological Time Scale" books 2004,[68] 2012,[3] and 2020. [69] Their
recommend revisions[6] of t he pre-Cryogenian geologic t ime scale were (changes from t he current scale [v2023/09] are it alicised):

Three divisions of the Archean instead of four by dropping

Eoarchean, and revisions to their geochronometric definition,
along with the repositioning of the Siderian into the latest
Neoarchean, and a potential Kratian division in the Neoarchean.
Archean (4000–2450 Ma)
Paleoarchean (4000–3500 Ma)
Mesoarchean (3500–3000 Ma)
Neoarchean (3000–2450 Ma)
 Kratian (no fixed time given, prior to the Siderian) –
from Greek word κράτος (krátos), meaning strength.
Siderian (?–2450 Ma) – moved from Proterozoic to
end of Archean, no start time given, base of
Paleoproterozoic defines the end of the Siderian
Refinement of geochronometric divisions of the Proterozoic,
Paleoproterozoic, repositioning of the Statherian into the
Mesoproterozoic, new Skourian period/system in the
Paleoproterozoic, new Kleisian or Syndian period/system in the
Neoproterozoic.
Paleoproterozoic (2450–1800 Ma)
Skourian (2450–2300 Ma) – from the Greek word
σκουριά (skouriá), meaning 'rust'.
Rhyacian (2300–2050 Ma)
Orosirian (2050–1800 Ma)
Mesoproterozoic (1800–1000 Ma)
Statherian (1800–1600 Ma)

Calymmian (1600–1400 Ma)

Ectasian (1400-1200 Ma)
Stenian (1200–1000 Ma)
Neoproterozoic (1000–538.8 Ma)[note 6]
 Kleisian or Syndian (1000–800 Ma) – respectively from
the Greek words κλείσιμο (kleísimo) meaning 'closure',
and σύνδεση (sýndesi) meaning 'connection'.
Tonian (800–720 Ma)
Cryogenian (720–635 Ma)
Ediacaran (635–538.8 Ma)
Proposed pre-Cambrian t imeline (Shield et al. 2021, ICS working group on pre-Cryogenian chronost rat igraphy), shown t o scale:[note 7]

Current ICC pre-Cambrian t imeline (v2023/09), shown t o scale:

Van Kranendonk et al. 2012 (GTS2012)

The book, Geologic Time Scale 2012, was t he last commercial publicat ion of an int ernat ional chronost rat igraphic chart t hat was closely associat ed wit h
t he ICS.[2] It included a proposal t o subst ant ially revise t he pre-Cryogenian t ime scale t o reflect import ant event s such as t he format ion of t he Solar
Syst em and t he Great Oxidat ion Event , among ot hers, while at t he same t ime maint aining most of t he previous chronost rat igraphic nomenclat ure for t he
pert inent t ime span.[70] As of April 2022 t hese proposed changes have not been accept ed by t he ICS. The proposed changes (changes from t he current
scale [v2023/09]) are it alicised:

Hadean Eon (4567–4030 Ma)

Chaotian Era/Erathem (4567–4404 Ma) – the name alluding
both to the mythological Chaos and the chaotic phase of
planet formation.[58][71][72]
Jack Hillsian or Zirconian Era/Erathem (4404–4030 Ma) –
both names allude to the Jack Hills Greenstone Belt which
provided the oldest mineral grains on Earth, zircons.[58][71]
Archean Eon/Eonothem (4030–2420 Ma)
Paleoarchean Era/Erathem (4030–3490 Ma)
 Acastan Period/System (4030–3810 Ma) – named after
the Acasta Gneiss, one of the oldest preserved pieces of
continental crust.[58][71]
Isuan Period (3810–3490 Ma) – named after the Isua
Greenstone Belt.[58]
Mesoarchean Era/Erathem (3490–2780 Ma)
Vaalbaran Period/System (3490–3020 Ma) – based on
the names of the Kapvaal (Southern Africa) and Pilbara
(Western Australia) cratons, to reflect the growth of
stable continental nuclei or proto-cratonic kernels.[58]
Pongolan Period/System (3020–2780 Ma) – named after
the Pongola Supergroup, in reference to the well
preserved evidence of terrestrial microbial communities
in those rocks.[58]
Neoarchean Era/Erathem (2780–2420 Ma)
Methanian Period/System (2780–2630 Ma) – named for
the inferred predominance of methanotrophic
prokaryotes[58]
Siderian Period/System (2630–2420 Ma) – named for
the voluminous banded iron formations formed within its
duration.[58]
Proterozoic Eon/Eonothem (2420–538.8 Ma)[note 6]
Paleoproterozoic Era/Erathem (2420–1780 Ma)
 Oxygenian Period/System (2420–2250 Ma) – named for
displaying the first evidence for a global oxidising
atmosphere.[58]
Jatulian or Eukaryian Period/System (2250–2060 Ma) –
names are respectively for the Lomagundi–Jatuli δ13C
isotopic excursion event spanning its duration, and for
the (proposed)[73][74] first fossil appearance of
eukaryotes.[58]
Columbian Period/System (2060–1780 Ma) – named
after the supercontinent Columbia.[58]
Mesoproterozoic Era/Erathem (1780–850 Ma)
Rodinian Period/System (1780–850 Ma) – named after
the supercontinent Rodinia, stable environment.[58]
Proposed pre-Cambrian t imeline (GTS2012), shown t o scale:

Current ICC pre-Cambrian t imeline (v2023/09), shown t o scale:

Table of geologic time

The following t able summarises t he major event s and charact erist ics of t he divisions making up t he geologic t ime scale of Eart h. This t able is arranged
wit h t he most recent geologic periods at t he t op, and t he oldest at t he bot t om. The height of each t able ent ry does not correspond t o t he durat ion of
each subdivision of t ime. As such, t his t able is not t o scale and does not accurat ely represent t he relat ive t ime-spans of each geochronologic unit . While
t he Phanerozoic Eon looks longer t han t he rest , it merely spans ~539 million years (~12% of Eart h's hist ory), whilst t he previous t hree eons[note 3]
collect ively span ~3,461 million years (~76% of Eart h's hist ory). This bias t oward t he most recent eon is in part due t o t he relat ive lack of informat ion
about event s t hat occurred during t he first t hree eons compared t o t he current eon (t he Phanerozoic).[6][75] The use of subseries/subepochs has been
rat ified by t he ICS.[17]
The cont ent of t he t able is based on t he official ICC produced and maint ained by t he ICS who also provide an online int eract ive version of t his chart . The
int eract ive version is based on a service delivering a machine-readable Resource Descript ion Framework/Web Ont ology Language represent at ion of t he
t ime scale, which is available t hrough t he Commission for t he Management and Applicat ion of Geoscience Informat ion GeoSciML project as a service [76]
and at a SPARQL end-point .[77][78]
Eonothem/ Erathem/ System/ Series/ Stage/
Eon Era Period Epoch Age

Phanerozoic Cenozoic Quaternary Holocene

[note 5]

Meghalayan

Northgrippian
 Greenlandian

Pleistocene Upper/Late
('Tarantian')
 Chibanian

Calabrian

Gelasian

Neogene Pliocene Piacenzian

Zanclean
Miocene

Messinian

Tortonian
Serravallian

Langhian

Burdigalian
Aquitanian
Paleogene Oligocene

Chattian

Rupelian
Eocene

Priabonian

Bartonian
Lutetian

Ypresian
Paleocene Thanetian
Selandian
 Danian

Mesozoic Cretaceous Maastrichtian

Campanian

Santonian
Upper/Late
Coniacian

Turonian

Cenomanian

Lower/Early Albian
 Aptian

Barremian

Hauterivian

Valanginian

Berriasian

Jurassic Tithonian

Upper/Late Kimmeridgian

Oxfordian

Middle Callovian
 Bathonian

Bajocian

Aalenian

Lower/Early Toarcian
 Pliensbachian

Sinemurian

Hettangian

Triassic Rhaetian

Upper/Late Norian

Carnian

Middle Ladinian
 Anisian

Lower/Early Olenekian
 Induan

Paleozoic Permian
Changhsingian
Lopingian
Wuchiapingian
Guadalupian Capitanian
 Wordian

Roadian

Cisuralian Kungurian
 Artinskian

Sakmarian

Asselian

Carboniferous Pennsylvanian
[note 10] [note 11]

Gzhelian
Kasimovian

Moscovian
 Bashkirian

Mississippian Serpukhovian
[note 11]
Viséan
Tournaisian
Devonian
Famennian
Upper/Late
Frasnian

Middle Givetian
 Eifelian

Lower/Early Emsian
 Pragian

Lochkovian

Silurian Pridoli

Ludlow Ludfordian
 Gorstian

Wenlock Homerian
 Sheinwoodian

Telychian

Llandovery

Aeronian

Rhuddanian
Ordovician
Hirnantian

Upper/Late Katian

Sandbian

Middle Darriwilian
 Dapingian

Lower/Early Floian
(formerly
Arenig)
Tremadocian
Cambrian Stage 10

Furongian Jiangshanian

Paibian

Miaolingian Guzhangian
 Drumian

Wuliuan

Series 2 Stage 4
 Stage 3

Terreneuvian Stage 2
 Fortunian

Proterozoic Neoproterozoic Ediacaran Good fossils of primitive anim

flourish worldwide in seas, pos
an explosion, possibly caused
 oxidation event.[88] First vendo
affinity among animals), cnida
Enigmatic vendozoans include
creatures shaped like bags, dis
Dickinsonia). Simple trace fos
worm-like Trichophycus, etc.Ta
North America. Aravalli Range
subcontinent. Beginning of Pa
leading to the formation of the
Ediacaran supercontinent Pan
end of the period breaks up int
Siberia and Gondwana. Peterm
on Australian continent. Beard
Antarctica, 633–620 Ma. Ozon
increase in oceanic mineral lev

Possible "Snowball Earth" peri

Late Ruker / Nimrod Orogeny i
Cryogenian off. First uncontroversial anim
hypothetical terrestrial fungi[89
streptophyta.[90]

Tonian Final assembly of Rodinia sup

early Tonian, with breakup beg
Sveconorwegian orogeny ends
tapers off in North America. La
 Orogeny in Antarctica, 1,000 ±
Orogeny (c. 920–850 Ma), Gas
Western Australia. Deposition
Superbasin and Centralian Sup
Australian continent. First hypo
(from holozoans) and terrestr
endosymbiotic events concern
algae occur, transferring plast
(e.g. diatoms, brown algae), d
cryptophyta, haptophyta, and
may have begun in the Mesopr
the first retarians (e.g. forams
eukaryotes diversify rapidly, in
eukaryovoric and biomineralise
fossils of simple multi-celled e

Mesoproterozoic Narrow highly metamorphic be

as Rodinia forms, surrounded
Ocean. Sveconorwegian oroge
Stenian / Nimrod Orogeny in Antarctica
Musgrave Orogeny (c. 1,080–)
Central Australia. Stromatolite
proliferate.

Ectasian Platform covers continue to ex

in the seas. Grenville Orogeny
 Columbia breaks up.

Platform covers expand. Barra

McArthur Basin, Northern Aust
Orogeny, c. 1,600 Ma, Mount Is
Queensland. First archaeplast
Calymmian eukaryotes with plastids from
red and green algae) and opist
to the first fungi and holozoan
(remains of marine algae poss
in the fossil record.

Paleoproterozoic First uncontroversial eukaryot

nuclei and endomembrane sys
forms as the second undisput
supercontinent. Kimban Oroge
continent ends. Yapungku Oro
Statherian
craton, in Western Australia. M
1,680–1,620 Ma, on the Gasco
Western Australia. Kararan Oro
Gawler Craton, South Australia
again.

Orosirian The atmosphere becomes mu

while more cyanobacterial stro
Vredefort and Sudbury Basin a
Much orogeny. Penokean and
 Orogenies in North America. E
Antarctica, 2,000–1,700 Ma. G
Glenburgh Terrane, Australian
1,920 Ma. Kimban Orogeny, Ga
Australian continent begins.

Bushveld Igneous Complex fo

glaciation. First hypothetical e
Rhyacian
Multicellular Francevillian biot
disassembles.

Great Oxidation Event (due to

Siderian increases oxygen. Sleaford Or
continent, Gawler Craton 2,440

Archean Stabilization of most modern cratons; possib

event. Insell Orogeny, 2,650 ± 150 Ma. Abitibi
Neoarchean present-day Ontario and Quebec begins to for
2,600 Ma. First uncontroversial supercontinen
first terrestrial prokaryotes.

First stromatolites (probably colonial phototr

cyanobacteria). Oldest macrofossils. Humbo
Mesoarchean
Antarctica. Blake River Megacaldera Complex
present-day Ontario and Quebec, ends by roug

Paleoarchean Prokaryotic archaea (e.g. methanogens) and

cyanobacteria) diversify rapidly, along with ea
known phototrophic bacteria. Oldest definitiv
 microbial mats. Oldest cratons on Earth (such
Shield and the Pilbara Craton) may have form
period.[note 13] Rayner Orogeny in Antarctica.

First uncontroversial living organisms: at first

based genes around 4000 Ma, after which tru
Eoarchean evolve along with proteins and DNA-based ge
Ma. The end of the Late Heavy Bombardment
Antarctica, 4,000 ± 200 Ma.

Formation of protolith of the oldest known rock (Acasta Gneiss

Ma.[92][93] Possible first appearance of plate tectonics. First hyp
End of the Early Bombardment Phase. Oldest known mineral (Zi
Hadean
4,404 ± 8 Ma).[94] Asteroids and comets bring water to Earth, fo
oceans. Formation of Moon (4,510 Ma), probably from a giant im
Earth (4,543 to 4,540 Ma)

Non-Earth based geologic time scales

Some ot her planet s and sat ellit es in t he Solar Syst em have sufficient ly rigid st ruct ures t o have preserved records of t heir own hist ories, for example,
Venus, Mars and t he Eart h's Moon. Dominant ly fluid planet s, such as t he gas giant s, do not comparably preserve t heir hist ory. Apart from t he Lat e Heavy
Bombardment , event s on ot her planet s probably had lit t le direct influence on t he Eart h, and event s on Eart h had correspondingly lit t le effect on t hose
planet s. Const ruct ion of a t ime scale t hat links t he planet s is, t herefore, of only limit ed relevance t o t he Eart h's t ime scale, except in a Solar Syst em
cont ext . The exist ence, t iming, and t errest rial effect s of t he Lat e Heavy Bombardment are st ill a mat t er of debat e.[note 14]

Lunar (selenological) time scale

The geologic hist ory of Eart h's Moon has been divided int o a t ime scale based on geomorphological markers, namely impact crat ering, volcanism, and
erosion. This process of dividing t he Moon's hist ory in t his manner means t hat t he t ime scale boundaries do not imply fundament al changes in geological
processes, unlike Eart h's geologic t ime scale. Five geologic syst ems/periods (Pre-Nect arian, Nect arian, Imbrian, Erat ost henian, Copernican), wit h t he
Imbrian divided int o t wo series/epochs (Early and Lat e) were defined in t he lat est Lunar geologic t ime scale.[95] The Moon is unique in t he Solar Syst em in
t hat it is t he only ot her body from which we have rock samples wit h a known geological cont ext .
 Millions of years before present

Martian geologic time scale

The geological hist ory of Mars has been divided int o t wo alt ernat e t ime scales. The first t ime scale for Mars was developed by st udying t he impact crat er
densit ies on t he Mart ian surface. Through t his met hod four periods have been defined, t he Pre-Noachian (~4,500–4,100 Ma), Noachian (~4,100–3,700 Ma),
Hesperian (~3,700–3,000 Ma), and Amazonian (~3,000 Ma t o present ).[96][97]

Martian time periods (millions of years ago)

A second t ime scale based on mineral alt erat ion observed by t he OMEGA spect romet er on-board t he Mars Express. Using t his met hod, t hree periods were
defined, t he Phyllocian (~4,500–4,000 Ma), Theiikian (~4,000–3,500 Ma), and Siderikian (~3,500 Ma t o present ).[98]

See also

Age of the Earth Geology

portal
Cosmic calendar
Deep time
Evolutionary history of life
Formation and evolution of the Solar System
Geological history of Earth
Geology of Mars
Geon (geology)
Graphical timeline of the universe
 History of Earth
History of geology
History of paleontology
List of fossil sites
List of geochronologic names
Logarithmic timeline
Lunar geologic timescale
Martian geologic timescale
Natural history
New Zealand geologic time scale
Prehistoric life
Timeline of the Big Bang
Timeline of evolution
Timeline of the geologic history of the United States
Timeline of human evolution
Timeline of natural history
Timeline of paleontology

Notes

1. It is now known that not all sedimentary layers are deposited purely
horizontally, but this principle is still a useful concept.