Appendix:Geologic timescale

The eons, eras, periods and epochs of geologic time - most recent first - numbers are millions of years ago and mark the end of the timeframe

Cenozoic era
66-present

Quaternary period

 * 2.58-present

Holocene epoch

 * 0.0117-present - end of most recent glaciation; start of civilization

Pleistocene epoch

 * 2.58-0.0117 - rise and fall of the large mammals, evolution of man

Upper Pleistocene age

 * 0.126-0.0117

Middle Pleistocene age

 * 0.781-0.126

Calabrian age

 * 1.80-0.781

Gelasian age

 * 2.58-1.80

Neogene period

 * 23.03-2.58

Pliocene epoch

 * 5.333-2.58 - ice age, modern mammals and molluscs appear

Piacenzian age

 * 3.600-2.58

Zanclean age

 * 5.333-3.600

Miocene epoch

 * 23.03-5.333 - moderate climate, mountain building, modern mammals & birds appear, grasslands expand

Messinian age

 * 7.246-5.333

Tortonian age

 * 11.62-7.246

Serravallian age

 * 13.82-11.62

Langhian age

 * 15.97-13.82

Burdigalian age

 * 20.44-15.97

Aquitanian age

 * 23.03-20.44

Paleogene period

 * 66.0 - 23.03 - Mild change in climate, spread of mammals and birds.

Oligocene epoch

 * 23 - warm climate, rapid evolution,

Eocene epoch

 * 34 - archaic mammals, start of current ice age

Paleocene epoch

 * 56 - tropical climate, first large mammals

Mesozoic era

 * Reign of reptiles (Dinosaurs)

Upper epoch

 * 66 - Last dinosaurs

Lower epoch

 * 100 - break up of Gondwanaland, flowering plants and Bees

Jurassic period

 * 201.3-145.0 - Peak of reptiles, first birds and true mammals

Upper epoch

 * 145 - Peak of sauropods

Middle epoch

 * 161 - lizards, mammals

Lower epoch

 * 175 - ammonites

Upper epoch

 * 200 -- archosaurs

Middle epoch

 * 230 - amphibians, First dinosaurs

Lower epoch

 * 245 - first small mammals

Lopingian epoch

 * 251 - supercontinent of Pangea

Guadalupian epoch

 * 260 - gymnosperms

Cisuralian epoch

 * 270 - beetles and flies

Upper Pennsylvanian epoch

 * 299 - winged insects

Middle Pennsylvanian epoch

 * 306 - reptiles, coal forests

Lower Pennsylvanian epoch

 * 312 - high oxygen content atmosphere

Upper Mississippian epoch

 * 318 - primitive trees

Middle Mississippian epoch

 * 326 - primitive sharks

Lower Mississippian epoch

 * 345 - glaciation

Upper epoch

 * 359 - clubmosses

Middle epoch

 * 385 - crinoids

Lower epoch

 * 398 - jawed fish

Pridoli epoch

 * 416 - first vascular land plants

Ludlow epoch

 * 419 - millipedes

Wenlock epoch

 * 423 - corals

Llandovery epoch

 * 428 - trilobites

Upper epoch

 * 443 - invertebrates dominant

Middle epoch

 * 461 - starfish

Lower epoch

 * 471 - first land plants

Cambrian period

 * 541.0±1.0-485.4±1.0

Furongian epoch

 * 497-485.4±1.0

Stage 10

 * 489.5-485.4±1.0 - Cambrian explosion of life

Jiangshanian

 * 494-489.5

Paibian

 * 497-494 - Trilobites

Series 3

 * 509-497

Guzhangian

 * 500.5-497

Drumian

 * 504.5-500.5

Stage 5

 * 509-504.5

Series 2

 * 521-509

Stage 4

 * 514-509 - sponges

Stage 3

 * 521-514

Terreneuvian

 * 541.0±1.0-521

Stage 2

 * 529-521

Fortunian

 * 541.0±1.0-529

Proterozoic eon
2,500-541.0±1.0

Neoproterozoic era
1,000-541.0±1.0

Ediacaran period

 * 635-541.0±1.0 - first multi-celled animals

Cryogenian period

 * 850-635 - snowball earth

Tonian period

 * 1,000-850 - acritarch radiation

Mesoproterozoic era
1,600-1,000

Stennian period

 * 1,200-1,000 - formation of Rodinia

Ectasian period

 * 1,400-1,200

Calymmian period

 * 1,600-1,400

Paleoproterozoic era
2,500-1,600

Statherian period

 * 1,800-1,600 - first complex single-celled life

Orosirian period

 * 2,050-1,800 - transition to oxygen atmosphere

Rhyacian period

 * 2,300-2,050

Siderian period

 * 2,500-2,300

Archaean eon
4,000-2,500

Neoarchean era
2,800-2,500 - stabilization of most modern cratons

Mesoarchean era
3,200-2,800 - first stromatolites

Paleoarchean era
3,600-3,200 - first known aerobic bacteria

Eoarchean era
4,000-3,600 - first single-celled organisms

Hadean eon
Before 4,000
 * ~4,000 - oldest known rock
 * 4,400 - oldest known mineral
 * 4,570 - Earth formed

he:נספח:לוח הזמנים הגאולוגי nl:Appendix:Geologische tijdschaal