Geological history of Earth - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Earth's geological history is a period of time since the Earth's formation to the present day. It is divided into eons, eras and periods. These periods of time are usually determined via rocks or rock layers.

Geological history of Earth

Cenozoic era
(the last 66 million years)

Quaternary (the last 2.588 million years)	Holocene (the last 11,650 years) Pleistocene (11,650 years ago–2.588 million years ago)
Neogene (2.588 million years ago–23.03 mya)	Pliocene (2.588–5.333 mya) Miocene (5.333–23.03 mya)
Palaeogene (23.03 million years ago–66 mya)	Oligocene (23.03–33.9 mya) Eocene (33.9–56.0 mya) Palaeocene (56.0–66.0 mya)

Mesozoic era
(66 million years ago–251.902 mya)

Cretaceous (66 million years ago–145.0 mya)	Late (66.0–100.5 mya) Early (100.5–145.0 mya)
Jurassic (145 million years ago–201.3 mya)	Late (145.0–163.5 mya) Middle (163.5–174.1 mya) Early (174.1–201.3 mya)
Triassic (201.3–251.902 mya)	Late (201.3–237 mya) Middle (237–247.2 mya) Early (247.2–251.902 mya)

Palaeozoic era
(251.902–541.0 mya)

Permian (251.902–298.9 mya)	Lopingian (251.902–259.8 mya) Guadalupian (259.8–272.3 mya) Cisuralian (272.3–298.9 mya)
Carboniferous (298.9–358.9 mya)	Pennsylvanian (298.9–323.2 mya) Mississippian (323.2–358.9 mya)
Devonian (358.9–419.2 mya)	Late (358.9–382.7 mya) Middle (382.7–393.3 mya) Early (393.3–419.2 mya)
Silurian (419.2–443.8 Mya)	Pridoli (419.2–423.0 mya) Ludlow (423.0–427.4 mya) Wenlock (427.4–433.4 mya) Llandovery (433.4–443.8 mya)
Ordovician (443.8–485.4 mya)	Late (443.8–458.4 mya) Middle (458.4–470.0 mya) Early (470.0–485.4 mya)
Cambrian (485.4–541.0 mya)	Furongian (485.4–497 mya) Miaolingian (497–509 mya) Series 2 (509–521 mya) Terreneuvian (521–541.0 mya)

Proterozoic eon
(541.0 mya–2.5 Gya)

Neoproterozoic era (541.0 mya–1 Gya)	Ediacaran (541.0–~635 mya) Cryogenian (~635–~720 mya) Tonian (~720 mya–1 Gya)
Mesoproterozoic era (1–1.6 Gya)	Stenian (1–1.2 Gya) Ectasian (1.2–1.4 Gya) Calymmian (1.4–1.6 Gya)
Palaeoproterozoic era (1.6–2.5 Gya)	Statherian (1.6–1.8 Gya) Orosirian (1.8–2.05 Gya) Rhyacian (2.05–2.3 Gya) Siderian (2.3–2.5 Gya)

Archean eon (2.5–4 Gya)

Eras	Neoarchean (2.5–2.8 Gya) Mesoarchean (2.8–3.2 Gya) Palaeoarchean (3.2–3.6 Gya) Eoarchean (3.6–4 Gya)

Hadean eon (4–4.6 Gya)

kya = thousands years ago. mya = millions years ago. Gya = billions years ago.
See also: Geologic time scale,

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