The geological time scale is used by geologists and other scientists to describe the timing and relationships between events that have occurred during the history of the Earth. While "period" is itself a subdivision of this scale, it is used colloquially in the name of this type to include all...
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468 Geologic time period topics matching:
Filter this Collection| Ma | Ma | Ma | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| x name | x image | x Ended | x article | x Began | |
| x Million years ago (Ma) | x Million years ago (Ma) | x +/- (Ma) | |||
| x Pleistocene |
|
0.012 Ma |
The Pleistocene ( /ˈplaɪstəsiːn/) (symbol PS) is the geological epoch which lasted from about 2,588,000 to 11,700 years ago, spanning the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name Pleistocene is derived from the Greek πλεῖστος ...
|
2.588 Ma | |
| x Triassic |
|
199 Ma |
The Triassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about 250 to 200 Ma (million years ago). It is the first period of the Mesozoic Era, and lies between the Permian and Jurassic periods. Both the start and end of the period are marked by...
|
251 Ma | |
| x Tertiary | 2.588 Ma |
Tertiary is an officially deprecated but still widely used term for a geologic period from 65 million to 2.6 million years ago, a time span that lies between the superseded Secondary period and the Quaternary. The period began with the demise of the...
|
65 Ma | ||
| x Paleocene |
|
55.8 Ma |
The Paleocene (symbol Pε) or Palaeocene, the "early recent", is a geologic epoch that lasted from about 65.5 to 56 million years ago (65.5±0.3 to 55.8±0.2 Ma). It is the first epoch of the Palaeogene Period in the modern Cenozoic Era. As with most...
|
65.5 Ma | 0.3 Ma |
| x Miocene |
|
5.33 Ma |
The Miocene (symbol MI) is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about 23.03 to 5.332 million years ago (Ma). The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words μείων (meiōn, “less”) and καινός ...
|
23.03 Ma | |
| x Paleogene |
|
23.03 Ma |
The Paleogene (alternatively British English Palaeogene or Palæogene, informally Lower Tertiary) is a geologic period and system that began 65.5 ± 0.3 and ended 23.03 ± 0.05 million years ago and comprises the first part of the Cenozoic Era. Lasting...
|
65.5 Ma | 0.3 Ma |
| x Devonian |
|
359.2 Ma |
The Devonian is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic Era spanning from the end of the Silurian Period, about 416.0 ± 2.8 Mya (million years ago), to the beginning of the Carboniferous Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya (ICS, 2004). It is named...
|
416 Ma | |
| x Late Cretaceous |
|
65.5 Ma |
The Late Cretaceous (99.6–65.5 Ma) is the younger of two epochs into which the Cretaceous period is divided in the geologic timescale. Rock strata from this epoch form the Upper Cretaceous series. The Cretaceous is named after the white limestone...
|
99.6 Ma | |
| x Ordovician |
|
443.7 Ma |
The Ordovician ( /ɔrdəˈvɪʃən/) is a geologic period and system, the second of six of the Paleozoic Era, and covers the time between 488.3±1.7 to 443.7±1.5 million years ago (ICS, 2004). It follows the Cambrian Period and is followed by the Silurian...
|
488.3 Ma | 1.7 Ma |
| x Eocene |
|
33.9 Ma |
The Eocene (symbol EO) Epoch, lasting from about 56 to 34 million years ago (55.8±0.2 to 33.9±0.1 Ma), is a major division of the geologic timescale and the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the Cenozoic Era. The Eocene spans the time from the...
|
55.8 Ma | 0.2 Ma |
| x Mesozoic |
|
65 Ma |
The Mesozoic Era is an interval of geological time from about 250 million years ago to about 65 million years ago. It is often referred to as the Age of Reptiles because reptiles, namely dinosaurs, were the dominant terrestrial and marine...
|
251 Ma | |
| x Cretaceous |
|
65.5 Ma |
The Cretaceous ( /krɪˈteɪʃəs/, kri-TEY-shuhs), derived from the Latin "creta" (chalk), usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide (chalk), is a geologic period and system from circa 145.5 ± 4 to 65.5 ± 0.3 million years (Ma) ago. In the...
|
145.5 Ma | 4 Ma |
| x Pliocene |
|
2.588 Ma |
The Pliocene ( /ˈplaɪ.əsiːn/; archaically Pleiocene) Epoch (symbol PO) is the period in the geologic timescale that extends from 5.332 million to 2.588 million years before present. It is the second and youngest epoch of the Neogene Period in the...
|
5.332 Ma | |
| x Paleozoic |
|
251 Ma |
The Paleozoic Era (from the Greek palaios (παλαιός), "old" and zoe (ζωή), "life", meaning "ancient life") is the earliest of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic Eon, spanning from roughly 542 to 251 million years ago (ICS, 2004). It is the...
|
542 Ma | |
| x Cambrian |
|
488 Ma |
The Cambrian is the first geological period of the Paleozoic Era, lasting from 542 ± 0.3 to 488.3 ± 1.7 million years ago (mya) (ICS, 2004); it is succeeded by the Ordovician. Its subdivisions, and indeed its base, are somewhat in flux. The period...
|
542 Ma | 0.3 Ma |
| x Oligocene |
|
23 Ma |
The Oligocene (symbol OG) is a geologic epoch of the Paleogene Period and extends from about 34 million to 23 million years before the present (33.9±0.1 to 23.03±0.05 Ma). As with other older geologic periods, the rock beds that define the period...
|
33.9 Ma | |
| x Cenozoic |
|
-0.000055 Ma |
The Cenozoic Era ( /ˌsɛnəˈzoʊ.ɨk/ or /ˌsiːnəˈzoʊ.ɨk/; also Cænozoic or Cainozoic; meaning "new life", from Greek καινός kainos "new", and ζωή zoe "life") is the current and most recent of the three Phanerozoic geological eras, following the Mesozoic...
|
65.5 Ma | |
| x Permian |
|
251 Ma |
The Permian is a geologic period and system which extends from 299.0 ± 0.8 to 251.0 ± 0.4 Ma (Million years ago). It is the last period of the Paleozoic Era, following the Carboniferous Period and preceding the Triassic Period of the Mesozoic Era....
|
299 Ma | 0.8 Ma |
| x Quaternary |
|
The Quaternary Period is the most recent of the three periods of the Cenozoic Era in the geologic time scale of the ICS. It follows the Neogene Period, spanning 2.588 ± 0.005 million years ago to the present. The relatively short period is...
|
2.588 Ma | 0.005 Ma | |
| x Silurian |
|
416 Ma |
The Silurian is a geologic period and system that extends from the end of the Ordovician Period, about 443.7 ± 1.5 million years ago (mya), to the beginning of the Devonian Period, about 416.0 ± 2.8 mya (ICS, 2004). As with other geologic periods,...
|
443.7 Ma | 1.5 Ma |
| x Precambrian |
|
542 Ma |
The Precambrian (Pre-Cambrian) is the name which describes the large span of time in Earth's history before the current Phanerozoic Eon, and is a Supereon divided into several eons of the geologic time scale. It spans from the formation of Earth...
|
4,500 Ma | |
| x Holocene |
|
-0.000055 Ma |
The Holocene is a geological epoch which began at the end of the Pleistocene (around 12,000 C years ago) and continues to the present. The Holocene is part of the Quaternary period. Its name comes from the Greek words ὅλος (holos, whole or entire)...
|
0.012 Ma | |
| x Jurassic |
|
145.5 Ma |
The Jurassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about 199.6± 0.6 Mya (million years ago) to 145.5± 4 Mya, that is, from the end of the Triassic to the beginning of the Cretaceous. The Jurassic constitutes the middle period of the...
|
199.6 Ma | 0.6 Ma |
| x Barremian |
|
125 Ma |
The Barremian is an age in the geologic timescale (or a chronostratigraphic stage) between 130.0 ± 1.5 Ma (million years ago) and 125.0 ± 1.0 Ma). It is a subdivision of the Early Cretaceous epoch (or Lower Cretaceous series). It is preceded by the...
|
130 Ma | 1.5 Ma |
| x Middle Jurassic | 161 Ma |
The Middle Jurassic is the second epoch of the Jurassic Period. It lasted from 176-161 million years ago. In European lithostratigraphy, rocks of this Middle Jurassic age are called the Dogger. This name in the past was also used to indicate the...
|
176 Ma | ||
| x Late Jurassic |
|
145.5 Ma |
The Late Jurassic is the third epoch of the Jurassic Period, and it spans the geologic time from 161.2 ± 4.0 to 145.5 ± 4.0 million years ago (Ma), which is preserved in Upper Jurassic strata. In European lithostratigraphy, the name "Malm" indicates...
|
161.2 Ma | 4 Ma |
| x Mississippian |
|
318 Ma |
The Mississippian is a subperiod in the geologic timescale or a subsystem of the geologic record. It is the earliest/lowermost of two subperiods of the Carboniferous period lasting from roughly 359 to 318 Ma (million years ago). As with most other...
|
359 Ma | |
| x Early Jurassic |
|
175.6 Ma |
The Early Jurassic epoch (in chronostratigraphy corresponding to the Lower Jurassic series) is the earliest of three epochs of the Jurassic period. The Early Jurassic starts immediately after the Triassic-Jurassic extinction event, 199.6 Ma (million...
|
199.6 Ma | |
| x Early Pleistocene | 0.781 Ma |
The Early Pleistocene (also known as the Lower Pleistocene) is a subepoch in the international geologic timescale or a subseries in chronostratigraphy, being the earliest or lowest subdivision of the Quaternary period/system and Pleistocene epoch...
|
2.588 Ma | 0.005 Ma | |
| x Priabonian | 33.9 Ma |
The Priabonian is, in the ICS's geologic timescale, the latest age or the upper stage of the Eocene epoch or series. It spans the time between 37.2±0.1 and 33.9±0.1 Ma. The Priabonian is preceded by the Bartonian and is followed by the Rupelian, the...
|
37.2 Ma | 0.1 Ma | |
| x Bartonian | 37.2 Ma |
The Bartonian is, in the ICS's geological timescale, a stage or age in the middle Eocene epoch or series. The Bartonian age spans the time between 40.4±0.2 and 37.2±0.2 Ma. It is preceded by the Lutetian and is followed by the Priabonian age.
The...
|
40.4 Ma | 0.2 Ma | |
| x Lutetian | 40.4 Ma |
The Lutetian is, in the geologic timescale, a stage or age in the Eocene. It spans the time between 48.6±0.2 and 40.4±0.2 Ma. The Lutetian is preceded by the Ypresian and is followed by the Bartonian. Together with the Bartonian it is sometimes...
|
48.6 Ma | 0.2 Ma | |
| x Ypresian | 48.6 Ma |
In the geologic timescale the Ypresian is the oldest age or lowest stratigraphic stage of the Eocene. It spans the time between 55.8±0.2 and 48.6±0.2 Ma, is preceded by the Thanetian age (part of the Paleocene) and is followed by the Eocene Lutetian...
|
55.8 Ma | 0.2 Ma | |
| x Aquitanian | 20.43 Ma |
The Aquitanian is, in the ICS' geologic timescale, the oldest age or lowest stage in the Miocene. It spans the time between 23.03 ± 0.05 Ma and 20.43 ± 0.05 Ma (million years ago) and is a dry, cooling period. The Aquitanian succeeds the Chattian ...
|
23.03 Ma | 0.05 Ma | |
| x Chattian | 23.03 Ma |
The Chattian is, in the geologic timescale, the youngest of two ages or upper of two stages of the Oligocene epoch/series. It spans the time between 28.4±0.1 and 23.03±0.05 Ma. The Chattian is preceded by the Rupelian and is followed by the...
|
28.4 Ma | 0.1 Ma | |
| x Rupelian | 28.4 Ma |
The Rupelian is, in the geologic timescale, the older of two ages or the lower of two stages of the Oligocene epoch/series. It spans the time between 33.9±0.1 and 28.4±0.1 Ma. It is preceded by the Priabonian stage (part of the Eocene) and is...
|
33.9 Ma | 0.1 Ma | |
| x Thanetian | 55.8 Ma |
The Thanetian is, in the ICS' Geologic timescale, the latest age or uppermost stratigraphic stage of the Paleocene Epoch or series. It spans the time between 58.7±0.2 and 55.8±0.2 Ma. The Thanetian is preceded by the Selandian age and followed by...
|
58.7 Ma | 0.2 Ma | |
| x Selandian | 58.7 Ma |
The Selandian is in the geologic timescale an age or stage in the Paleocene. It spans the time between 61.7±0.2 and 58.7±0.2 Ma. It is preceded by the Danian and followed by the Thanetian. Sometimes the Paleocene is subdivided in subepochs, in which...
|
61.7 Ma | 0.2 Ma | |
| x Danian | 61.7 Ma |
The Danian is the oldest age or lowermost stage of the Paleocene epoch or series, the Paleogene period or system and the Cenozoic era or erathem. The beginning of the Danian age (and the end of the precessing Maastrichtian age) is at the Cretaceous...
|
65.5 Ma | 0.3 Ma | |
| x Maastrichtian |
|
65.5 Ma |
The Maastrichtian is, in the ICS' geologic timescale, the latest age or upper stage of the Late Cretaceous epoch or Upper Cretaceous series, the Cretaceous period or system, and of the Mesozoic era or erathem. It spanned from 70.6 ± 0.6 Ma to 65.5 ±...
|
70.6 Ma | 0.6 Ma |
| x Tabenbulakian | 23.03 Ma |
The Tabenbulakian age is a period of geologic time (28.4—23.03 Ma) within the Oligocene epoch of the Paleogene used more specifically with Asian Land Mammal Ages. It follows the Ulangochuian age.
The Tabenbulakian's lower boundary is the approximate...
|
28.4 Ma | ||
| x Kekeamuan | 28.4 Ma |
The Kekeamuan age is a period of geologic time (33.9—28.4 Ma) within the Early Oligocene epoch of the Paleogene used more specifically with Asian Land Mammal Ages. It follows the Houldjinian and precedes the Hsandagolian age.
The Kekeamuan's upper...
|
33.9 Ma | ||
| x Geringian | 26.3 Ma |
The Geringian North American Stage on the geologic timescale is the North American faunal stage according to the North American Land Mammal Ages chronology (NALMA), typically set from 30,800,000 to 26,300,000 years BP, a period of 4.5 million years....
|
30.8 Ma | ||
| x Orellan | 33.3 Ma |
The Orellan North American Stage on the geologic timescale is the North American faunal stage according to the North American Land Mammal Ages chronology (NALMA), typically set from 33,900,000 to 33,300,000 years BP, a period of 0.6 million years....
|
33.9 Ma | ||
| x Torrejonian | 60.2 Ma |
The Torrejonian North American Stage on the geologic timescale is the North American faunal stage according to the North American Land Mammal Ages chronology (NALMA), typically set from 63,300,000 to 60,200,000 years BP lasting 3.1 million years. It...
|
63.3 Ma | ||
| x Tiffanian | 56.8 Ma |
The Tiffanian North American Stage on the geologic timescale is the North American faunal stage according to the North American Land Mammal Ages chronology (NALMA), typically set from 60,200,000 to 56,800,000 years BP lasting 3.4 million years. It...
|
60.2 Ma | ||
| x Rancholabrean | 0.01143 Ma |
The Rancholabrean North American Stage on the geologic timescale is the North American faunal stage according to the North American Land Mammal Ages chronology (NALMA), typically set from less than 240,000 years to 11,000 years BP, a period of 0.289...
|
0.3 Ma | 0.00013 Ma | |
| x Irvingtonian | 0.3 Ma |
The Irvingtonian North American Stage on the geologic timescale is the North American faunal stage according to the North American Land Mammal Ages chronology (NALMA), typically set from 1,800,000 to 300,000 years BP, a period of 1.5 million years....
|
1.806 Ma | ||
| x Blancan | 1.806 Ma |
The Blancan North American Stage on the geologic timescale is the North American faunal stage according to the North American Land Mammal Ages chronology (NALMA), typically set from 4,750,000 to 1,808,000 years BP, a period of 2.942 million years.....
|
4.75 Ma | ||
| x Hemphillian | 4.75 Ma |
The Hemphillian North American Stage on the geologic timescale is the North American faunal stage according to the North American Land Mammal Ages chronology (NALMA), typically set from 10,300,000 to 4,900,000 years BP, a period of 5.4 million years...
|
9 Ma | ||
| x Clarendonian | 10.3 Ma |
The Clarendonian North American Stage on the geologic timescale is the North American faunal stage according to the North American Land Mammal Ages chronology (NALMA), typically set from 13,600,000 to 10,300,000 years BP, a period of 3.3 million...
|
13.6 Ma | ||
| x Barstovian |
|
11.8 Ma |
The Barstovian North American Stage on the geologic timescale is the North American faunal stage according to the North American Land Mammal Ages chronology (NALMA), typically set from 16,300,000 to 13,600,000 years BP, a period of 2.7 million years...
|
15.5 Ma | |
| x Hemingfordian North American Stage | 15.5 Ma |
The Hemingfordian North American Stage on the geologic timescale is the North American faunal stage according to the North American Land Mammal Ages chronology (NALMA), typically set from 20,600,000 to 16,300,000 years BP. It is usually considered...
|
19 Ma | ||
| x Late Hemingfordian | 16.3 Ma |
The Late Hemingfordian North American Stage on the geologic timescale is the North American faunal stage according to the North American Land Mammal Ages chronology (NALMA), typically set from 20,430,000 to 16,300,000 years BP, a period of 4.1...
|
20.43 Ma | ||
| x Arikareean | 19 Ma |
The Arikareean North American Stage on the geologic timescale is the North American faunal stage according to the North American Land Mammal Ages chronology (NALMA), typically set from 30,600,000 to 20,800,000 years BP, a period of 9.8 million years...
|
30.5 Ma | ||
| x Whitneyan | 30.8 Ma |
The Whitneyan North American Stage on the geologic timescale is the North American faunal stage according to the North American Land Mammal Ages chronology (NALMA), typically set from 33,300,000 to 30,800,000 years BP, a period of 2.5 million years....
|
33.3 Ma | ||
| x Chadronian | 33.5 Ma |
The Chadronian age within the North American Land Mammal Ages chronology is the North American faunal stage typically set from 38,000,000 to 33,900,000 years BP, a period of 4.1 million years. It is usually considered to fall within the Eocene epoch...
|
37 Ma | ||
| x Duchesnean | 37 Ma |
The Duchesnean North American Stage on the geologic timescale is a North American Land Mammal Age (NALMA), with an age from 42 to 38 million years BP, representing 4 million years. It falls within the Eocene epoch. The Duchesnean is preceded by the...
|
40 Ma | ||
| x Uintan | 42 Ma |
The Uintan North American Stage on the geologic timescale is the North American faunal stage according to the North American Land Mammal Ages chronology (NALMA), typically set from 46,200,000 to 42,000,000 years BP lasting 4.2 million years. It is...
|
46.2 Ma | ||
| x Bridgerian North American Stage | 45.4 Ma |
The Bridgerian North American Stage on the geologic timescale is the North American faunal stage according to the North American Land Mammal Ages chronology (NALMA), typically set from 50,300,000 to 46,200,000 years BP lasting 4.1 million years. It...
|
50.5 Ma | ||
