"It is used primarily by Earth scientists (including geologists, paleontologists, geophysicists, geochemists, and paleoclimatologists) to describe the timing and relationships of events in geologic history."
The study of the major events and changes that have occurred over time in the Earth's geology, climate, and biosphere, including the origin of life and the evolution of complex organisms.
Geological time scale: This is a chart that organizes Earth's history into different time periods, based on the fossils and rock formation evidence.
Plate tectonics: This theory explains how the Earth's crust is made up of plates that move over the planet's mantle and create changes in geological features.
Fossils: These are the remains of plants and animals that lived millions of years ago and provide clues about life in the past.
Rock types: Understanding different types of rocks, including sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic, can help in interpreting geological events.
Geological processes: These include erosion, weathering, volcanic activity, and earthquakes, which shape the Earth's surface over time.
Climate change: Changes in the Earth's climate can be traced through geological records such as rocks, ice cores, and fossils.
Mass extinctions: These are events where large numbers of species go extinct at once, which are often caused by environmental factors like asteroid impacts or volcanic eruptions.
Geological formations: These are the natural features of the Earth, such as mountains, rivers, and valleys, which are created by geological processes.
Geological dating techniques: These help determine the age of rocks and fossils by analyzing isotopes and other geological features.
Evolution: The study of how species have evolved over millions of years can provide insights into Earth's history.
Human impact: Understanding how human activities have changed the planet's surface and climate is essential in understanding Earth's history.
Geologic hazards: These include natural events like landslides, floods, and volcanic eruptions, which can have significant impacts on the Earth and life on it.
Hadean Eon: Starts with the formation of the Earth and ends with the first evidence of life (4.6 to 4 billion years ago).
Archean Eon: Marks the emergence of life on Earth and the formation of the first continents (4 to 2.5 billion years ago).
Proterozoic Eon: Characterized by the rise of oxygen, the formation of supercontinents, and the evolution of eukaryotic life (2.5 billion to 541 million years ago).
Phanerozoic Eon: Marks the appearance of complex multicellular life and is divided into three eras.
Quaternary Period: The most recent geologic period, marked by the appearance of modern humans and the onset of the current ice age (2.6 million years ago to the present).
Holocene Epoch: The current epoch, marked by the retreat of the last glaciers and the emergence of modern civilization (11,700 years ago to the present).
"...uses chronostratigraphy (the process of relating strata to time) and geochronology (a scientific branch of geology that aims to determine the age of rocks)."
"The time scale has been developed through the study of rock layers and the observation of their relationships and identifying features such as lithologies, paleomagnetic properties, and fossils."
"The definition of standardized international units of geologic time is the responsibility of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS), a constituent body of the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS)."
"Their primary objective is to precisely define global chronostratigraphic units of the International Chronostratigraphic Chart (ICC) that are used to define divisions of geologic time."
"While some regional terms are still in use, the table of geologic time presented in this article conforms to the nomenclature, ages, and color codes set forth by the ICS."
"The chronostratigraphic divisions are in turn used to define geochronologic units."
"It is a system of chronological dating that uses the rock record of Earth."
"Earth scientists, including geologists, paleontologists, geophysicists, geochemists, and paleoclimatologists."
"Identifying features such as lithologies, paleomagnetic properties, and fossils."
"The International Commission on Stratigraphy is a constituent body of the International Union of Geological Sciences."
"To determine the age of rocks."
"It is used to define divisions of geologic time."
"Geology, paleontology, geophysics, geochemistry, and paleoclimatology."
"The timing and relationships of events in geologic history."
"The process of relating strata to time."
"The International Commission on Stratigraphy."
"Using the International Chronostratigraphic Chart."
"Through the scientific branch of geology that aims to determine the age of rocks."
"The rock record of Earth is the basis for the geologic time scale."