Era
|
Period[a]
|
Epoch
|
Age[b]
|
Start, mya[b]
|
Event
|
Notes
|
Cenozoic[c]
|
Quaternary
|
Holocene
|
|
0.0117[d]
|
|
|
Pleistocene
|
Upper
|
0.126
|
|
|
Middle
|
0.781
|
Australasian strewnfield Lake Bosumtwi[4]
|
Brunhes–Matuyama reversal (778.7 ± 1.9)[5] Jaramillo reversal (1.07)
|
Calabrian
|
1.806*
|
|
Olduvai reversal
|
Gelasian
|
2.588*
|
Chilcotin Plateau Basalts[e]
|
Ice age Gauss-Matuyama reversal (2.588)
|
Neogene
|
Pliocene
|
Piacenzian/Blancan
|
3.600*
|
|
Gilbert-Gauss geomagnetic reversal (3.32)
|
Zanclean
|
5.333*
|
|
Zanclean flood (5.333)
|
Miocene
|
Messinian
|
7.246*
|
Chilcotin Plateau Basalts[e]
|
|
Tortonian
|
11.62*
|
|
|
Serravallian
|
13.82*
|
|
|
Langhian
|
15.97
|
M. Miocene disruption (14.8–14.5)[f] Columbia River Basalt Group[g] Chilcotin Plateau Basalts[e]
|
Increased Antarctic deep waters Yellowstone hotspot Nördlinger Ries (14.5-14.3)
|
Burdigalian
|
20.44
|
|
|
Aquitanian
|
23.03*
|
Shield volcanoes of Ethiopia[h]
|
Antarctic ice sheet complete
|
Paleogene
|
Oligocene
|
Chattian
|
28.1
|
Ethiopian and Yemen traps (31–30)[h]
|
Fish Canyon Tuff (27.51)[i]
|
Rupelian
|
33.9*
|
Chesapeake Bay impact crater (35.5)[j]
|
Antarctic ice sheet expands Eocene–Oligocene extinction event
|
Eocene
|
Priabonian
|
38.0
|
|
Bartonian
|
41.3
|
|
|
Lutetian
|
47.8*
|
|
Antarctic ice sheet begins
|
Ypresian
|
56.0*
|
N. Atlantic IP Phase II (56–54)[k] (Brito-Arctic province) (~56)[l]
|
|
Paleocene
|
Thanetian
|
59.2*
|
|
|
Selandian
|
61.6*
|
N. Atlantic IP (62–58)[k] (Brito-Arctic province) (~61)[l] (Thulean Plateau)
|
Iceland hotspot[m]
|
Danian
|
65.5 ± 0.3*
|
Chicxulub Crater (65.5 ± 0.3)[n] Deccan Traps (65.5 ± 0.3)[o]
|
Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event Shiva crater
|
Mesozoic
|
Cretaceous
|
Upper
|
Maastrichtian
|
72.1 ± 0.2*
|
|
|
Campanian
|
83.6 ± 0.2
|
Caribbean LIP (76-74)[p] Caribbean LIP (82-80)[p]
|
|
Santonian
|
86.3 ± 0.5
|
|
|
Coniacian
|
89.8 ± 0.3
|
High Arctic LIP (~90-80)[q] Caribbean LIP (90-88)[p] Ontong Java Plateau[r]
|
Galápagos hotspot
|
Turonian
|
93.5 ± 0.8*
|
Cenomanian-Turonian boundary event (91.5 ± 8.6)[s] Madagascar flood basalt (94.5±1.2)
|
|
Cenomanian
|
100.5*
|
|
|
Lower
|
Albian
|
c. 113.0
|
Kerguelen Plateau (110)[t] Rajmahal Traps (118)[u]
|
Kerguelen hotspot
|
Aptian
|
c. 125.0
|
Selli Event (~120)[s] Ontong Java Plateau (125–120)[r]
|
Louisville hotspot
|
Barremian
|
c. 129.4
|
High Arctic LIP (130-120)[q]
|
|
Hauterivian
|
c. 132.9
|
Abor volcanics (135)
|
Kerguelen hotspot
|
Valanginian
|
c. 139.8
|
Paraná and Etendeka traps (138-128)[v]
|
Tristan hotspot
|
Berriasian
|
c. 145.0
|
|
Glaciations End-Jurassic extinction
|
Jurassic
|
Upper
|
Tithonian
|
152.1 ± 0.9
|
|
|
Kimmeridgian
|
157.3 ± 1.0
|
|
|
Oxfordian
|
163.5 ± 1.0
|
|
|
Middle
|
Callovian
|
166.1 ± 1.2
|
|
|
Bathonian
|
168.3 ± 1.3*
|
|
|
Bajocian
|
170.3 ± 1.4*
|
|
|
Aalenian
|
174.1 ± 1.0*
|
|
|
Lower
|
Toarcian
|
182.7 ± 0.7
|
early Toarcian anoxic event Karoo-Ferrar (~183)[w]
|
Pliensbachian-Toarcian extinction Formed as Gondwana broke up
|
Pliensbachian
|
190.8 ± 1.0*
|
|
|
Sinemurian
|
199.3 ± 0.3*
|
C. Atlantic magmatic province (Recurrent)(197±1)[x]
|
|
Hettangian
|
201.3 ± 0.2*
|
Central Atlantic magmatic province (199.5±0.5)[x]
|
Formed as Pangea broke up Triassic–Jurassic extinction event
|
Triassic
|
Upper
|
Rhaetian
|
c. 208.5
|
|
|
Norian
|
c. 228
|
Wrangellia flood basalts (231–225)[y]
|
|
Carnian
|
c. 235*
|
|
|
Middle
|
Ladinian
|
c. 242*
|
|
|
Anisian
|
247.2
|
|
|
Lower
|
Olenekian
|
251.2
|
|
|
Induan
|
252.2 ± 0.5*
|
Siberian Traps (252.6)[z]
|
Permian–Triassic extinction event
|
Paleozoic
|
Permian
|
Lopingian
|
Changhsingian
|
254.2 ± 0.1*
|
|
|
Wuchiapingian
|
259.9 ± 0.4*
|
Emeishan Traps (258)[aa]
|
end-Capitanian/Guadalupian Extinction
|
Guadalupian
|
Capitanian
|
265.1 ± 0.4*
|
|
|
Wordian/Kazanian
|
268.8 ± 0.5*
|
|
|
Roadian/Ufimian
|
272.3 ± 0.5*
|
|
Olson's Extinction Late Devonian extinction
|
Cisuralian
|
Kungurian
|
279.3 ± 0.6
|
|
|
Artinskian
|
290.1 ± 0.1
|
|
|
Sakmarian
|
295.5 ± 0.4
|
|
|
Asselian
|
298.9 ± 0.2*
|
Skagerrak-Centered LIP (297±4 Ma)[ab]
|
Pangaea
|
Carbon- iferous[ac]/ Pennsyl- vanian
|
Upper
|
Gzhelian
|
303.7 ± 0.1
|
|
|
Kasimovian
|
307.0 ± 0.1
|
|
Carboniferous Rainforest Collapse (~305)[ad]
|
Middle
|
Moscovian
|
315.2 ± 0.2
|
|
|
Lower
|
Bashkirian
|
323.2 ± 0.4*
|
|
|
Carbon- iferous[ac]/ Missis- sippian
|
Upper
|
Serpukhovian
|
330.9 ± 0.2
|
|
|
Middle
|
Viséan
|
346.7 ± 0.4*
|
|
|
Lower
|
Tournaisian
|
358.9 ± 0.4*
|
Hangenberg event (358.9 ± 0.4)[ae]
|
Late Devonian extinction
|
Devonian
|
Upper
|
Famennian
|
372.2 ± 1.6*
|
Kellwasser_event (372.2 ± 1.6)[af] Viluy traps (373.4 ± 0.7)[ag]
|
Late Devonian extinction[ah]
|
Frasnian
|
382.7 ± 1.6*
|
|
|
Middle
|
Givetian
|
387.7 ± 0.8*
|
|
|
Eifelian
|
393.3 ± 1.2*
|
|
|
Lower
|
Emsian
|
407.6 ± 2.6*
|
|
|
Pragian
|
410.8 ± 2.8*
|
|
|
Lochkovian
|
419.2 ± 3.2*
|
|
|
Silurian
|
Pridoli
|
(Stage 8)
|
423.0 ± 2.3*
|
Lau event (423.0 ± 2.3)[ai]
|
|
Ludlow/Cayugan
|
Ludfordian
|
425.6 ± 0.9*
|
|
|
Gorstian
|
427.4 ± 0.5*
|
Mulde event (427.4 ± 0.5)[aj]
|
|
Wenlock
|
Homerian/Lockportian
|
430.5 ± 0.7*
|
|
|
Sheinwoodian/Tonawandan
|
433.4 ± 0.8*
|
Ireviken event (433.4 ± 2.3)[ak]
|
|
Llandovery/ Alexandrian
|
Telychian/Ontarian
|
438.5 ± 1.1*
|
|
|
Aeronian
|
440.8 ± 1.2*
|
|
|
Rhuddanian
|
443.4 ± 1.5*
|
|
Ordovician–Silurian extinction event
|
Ordovician
|
Upper
|
Hirnantian
|
445.2 ± 1.4*
|
Pre-Devonian Traps (~445)
|
|
Katian
|
453.0 ± 0.7*
|
|
|
Sandbian
|
458.4 ± 0.9*
|
|
|
Middle
|
Darriwilian
|
467.3 ± 1.1*
|
|
|
Dapingian
|
470.0 ± 1.4*
|
|
|
Lower
|
Floian (formerly Arenig)
|
477.7 ± 1.4*
|
|
|
Tremadocian
|
485.4 ± 1.9*
|
|
|
Cambrian
|
Furongian
|
Stage 10
|
c. 489.5
|
|
Cambrian–Ordovician extinction event
|
Jiangshanian
|
c. 494*
|
|
|
Paibian
|
c. 497*
|
|
|
Series 3
|
Guzhangian
|
c. 500.5*
|
|
|
Drumian
|
c. 504.5*
|
|
|
Stage 5
|
c. 509
|
|
|
Series 2
|
Stage 4
|
c. 514
|
|
|
Stage 3
|
c. 521
|
|
|
Terreneuvian
|
Stage 2
|
c. 529
|
|
Cambrian explosion
|
Fortunian
|
541.0 ± 1.0*
|
|
End-Ediacaran extinction
|
Neo- proterozoic[al]
|
Ediacaran
|
|
|
c. 635*
|
Long Range dikes (620)
|
formed as Iapetus Ocean began
|
Cryogenian
|
|
|
850[am]
|
Franklin LIP (716.5)
|
Snowball Earth
|
Tonian
|
|
|
1000[am]
|
Warakurna LIP (~1075)
|
|
Meso- proterozoic[al]
|
Stenian
|
|
|
1200[am]
|
Midcontinent Rift System (~1100)[an] Mackenzie LIP (~1270)
|
Rodinia
|
Ectasian
|
|
|
1400[am]
|
|
|
Calymmian
|
|
|
1600[am]
|
|
|
Paleo- proterozoic[al]
|
Statherian
|
|
|
1800[am]
|
Circum-Superior Belt (1884-1864)[ao] Winagami sill complex (1890-1760)
|
|
Orosirian
|
|
|
2050[am]
|
Kapuskasing and Marathon dike swarm (2126-2101) Fort Frances dike swarm (2076-2067) Vredefort impact structure (2023±4)[ap]
|
|
Rhyacian
|
|
|
2300[am]
|
Ungava magmatic event
|
Huronian glaciation (2220)
|
Siderian
|
|
|
2500[am]
|
Matachewan dike swarm (2500-2450) Mistassini dike swarm (2500)
|
Great Oxygenation Event
|
Neoarchean[al]
|
|
|
|
2800[am]
|
|
|
Mesoarchean[al]
|
|
|
|
3200[am]
|
|
|
Paleoarchean[al]
|
|
|
|
3600[am]
|
Kaapvaal craton (3600-3700)
|
Vaalbara
|
Eoarchean[al]
|
|
|
|
4000
|
|
|
Early Imbrian[al][aq]
|
|
|
|
c. 3850
|
|
|
Nectarian[al][aq]
|
|
|
|
c. 3920
|
|
lunar basins form
|
Basin Groups[al][aq]
|
|
|
|
c. 4150
|
Acasta Gneiss
|
Late Heavy Bombardment
|
Cryptic[ar]
|
|
|
|
c. 4600
|
|
Oldest minerals. Earth surface solidifies.
|