GEOLOGIC TIME SCALE

-a timeline that illustrates Earth's history based on geologic events and life forms.
This is a system that chronologically relates geological strata (stratigraphy) to time.

The table of geologic periods. presented here, agree with the nomenclature, dates and standard color
codes set forth by the
INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON STRATIGRAPHY (ICS)

4 MAJOR DIVISIONS OF THE GEOLOGIC TIME SCALE

1. Eon
2. Era
3. Period
4. Epoch

STRATIGRAPHY
-the correlation and classification of rock strata.

EON
-The largest time span of the geologic time scale.

GEOLOGIC TIME IS DIVIDED INTO TWO EONS

A. Precambrian Eon
-refers to the earliest part of Earth's history.
B. Phanerozoic Eon
-the current geologic con in the geologic time scale. PRECAMBRIAN EON

Earliest part of the Earth's history divided into three eons

the Hadean eon, Archean eon and Proterozoic eon.

HADEAN EON

occurred 4.6 billion to 4 billion years ago. During this time, the solar system was forming within a
cloud of dust and gas known as the solar nebula, which eventually spawned planets, and etc.

The earth started cooling and the outer edge of the planet solidified from molten lava to a solid crust.
Water rained from the atmosphere and created oceans.

ARCHEAN EON
Between 4 billion and 2.5 billion years ago, the first form of life on our planet was created in the
oceans.
Exactly when or how it happened is unknown, but microfossils of this time indicate that life began in
the oceans about 3.5 billion to 28 billion years ago.

By the end of the Archean, the ocean floor was covered in a living mat of bacterial life.
PROTEROZOIC EON

also called the age of hidden life, started 2.5 billion years ago. In this time, enough shield rock had
formed to start recognizable geologic processes such as plate tectonics.

PROTEROZOIC EON

contain many definite traces of primitive life-forms-the fossil remains of bacteria and blue-green
algae, as well as of the first oxygen-dependent animals.

The time in which abundant animal and plant life existed. It covers 541 million years to the present.

The Phanerozoic eon is subdivided into three era

The era ran from about 542 million years ago to 251 million years ago.
The era began with the breakup of one supercontinent and the formation of another. Plants became
widespread.

PALEOZOIC ERA
divided into the Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian, Carboniferous, and Permian periods.

Cambrian Period
(53 million years ago)
known for ushering in an explosion of life on Earth. This "Cambrian explosion" included the evolution
of arthropods (ancestors of today's insects and crustaceans) and chordates (animals with
rudimentary spinal cords.)

Ordovician Period
(45 million years ago)
Marked in the fossil record by an abundance of marine invertebrates. Perhaps the most famous of
these invertebrates was the trilobite, an armored arthropod that scuttled around the seafloor for
about 270 million years before going extinct.

Silurian Period
(443 million - 416 million years ago)
Saw the spread of Jawless fish throughout the seas. Mollusks and corals thrived in the oceans and
land the first undisputed evidence of terrestrial life.

This was the time when plants evolved though they most likely did not yet have leaves or the vascular
tissue to siphon up water and nutrients.
Permian Period
(299 million - 251 million years ago)
This period would end with the largest mass extinction ever: the Permian extinction.

Before the Permian mass extinction, though, the warm seas teemed with life. Coral reefs flourished,
providing shelter for fish and shelled creatures, such as nautiloids and ammonoids.

Modern conifers and ginkgo trees evolved on land. Terrestrial vertebrates evolved to become
herbivores, taking advantage of the new plant life that had colonized the land.

MESOZOIC ERA
contains the Triassic, Jurassic. and Cretaceous periods.

The period, which spans from about 252 million years ago to about 66 million years ago, was also
known as the age of reptiles or the age of Dinosaurs because of its famous inhabitants.

The Middle Life era, life diversified rapidly and giant reptiles, reptiles, di dinosaurs and other
monstrous beasts roamed the Earth.

Triasic Period
(252 million - 200 million years ago)
saw the rise of reptiles and the first dinosaurs.

Jurassic Period
(200 million - 145 million years ago)
marked by the presence of dinosaurs and the first appearance of birds.

Cretaceous Period
(145 million - 66 million years ago)
known for its iconic dinosaurs, such as Triceratops, and pterosaurs such as Pteranodon.

CENOZOIC ERA
divided into Paleogene, Neogene, and Quaternary periods.

began about 65 million years ago and continues into the present, is the third documented era in the
history of Earth.

The current locations of the continents and their modern-day inhabitants, including humans, can be
traced to this period.

The Cenozoic era is also known as the Age of Mammals because the extinction of many groups of
giant mammals, allowing smaller species to thrive and diversify because their predators no longer
existed.

Carboniferous Period
(359 million - 299 million years ago)
Long before birds evolved, tetrapods began laying eggs on land for the first time during this period,
allowing them to break away from an amphibious lifestyle.
Tetrapods were becoming more specialized and two new groups of animals evolved. The first were
marine reptiles including lizards and snakes.

The second were the archosaurs, which would give rise to crocodiles, dinosaurs and birds. Most
creepily, this era is sometimes referred to as the Age of the Cockroaches because roaches ancient
ancestor (Archimylacris eggintoni) was found across the globe during the Carboniferous.

Permian Period
(299 million - 251 million years ago)
This period would end with the largest mass extinction ever: the Permian extinction.

Before the Permian mass extinction, though, the warm seas teemed with life. Coral reefs flourished,
providing shelter for fish and shelled creatures, such as nautiloids and ammonoids.

Modern conifers and ginkgo trees evolved on land. Terrestrial vertebrates evolved to become
herbivores, taking advantage of the new plant life that had colonized the land.

MESOZOIC ERA
contains the Triassic, Jurassic. and Cretaceous periods.

The period, which spans from about 252 million years ago to about 66 million years ago, was also
known as the age of reptiles or the age of Dinosaurs because of its famous inhabitants.

The Middle Life era, life diversified rapidly and giant reptiles, reptiles, di dinosaurs and other
monstrous beasts roamed the Earth.

Triasic Period
(200 million - 252 million years ago)
saw the rise of reptiles and the first dinosaurs.

Jurassic Period
(200 million - 145 million years ago)
marked by the presence of dinosaurs and the first appearance of birds.

Cretaceous Period
(145 million - 66 million years ago)
known for its iconic dinosaurs, such as Triceratops, and pterosaurs such as Pteranodon.

CENOZOIC ERA
divided into Paleogene, Neogene, and Quaternary periods.
began about 65 million years ago and continues into the present, is the third documented era in the
history of Earth.

The current locations of the continents and their modern-day inhabitants, including humans, can be
traced to this period.
The Cenozoic era is also known as the Age of Mammals because of the extinction of many groups of
giant mammals, allowing smaller species to thrive and diversify because their predators no longer
existed.

Paleogene Period
(23 million - 65 million years ago)
consists of the Paleocene, Eocene and Oligocene epochs.
The beginning of the Paleogene period was a time for the mammals that survived from the
Cretaceous period.

Later in this period, rodents and small horses, such as Hyracotherium, are common and
rhinoceroses and elephants appear. As the period ends, dogs, cats and pigs become commonplace.

Neogene Period
(23 million – 2.6 million years ago)
includes the Miocene and Pliocene epochs.

The Neogene period gives rise to early primates, including early humans. Bovids, including cattle,
sheep, goats, antelope and gazelle, flourish during this period.

Quaternary Period
(2.6 million to the present year)
consisting of the Pleistocene and Holocene epochs.

Cave lions, saber-toothed cats, cave bears, giant deer, woolly rhinoceroses, and woolly mammoths
were prevailing species of the Quaternary period.