"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."
A system of chronological dating that relates geological strata to time, providing a framework for understanding the relative timing of different geological events and the evolution of life on Earth over time.
Fossils: Organic remains, impressions or traces of past life forms that give information about their ancient environment.
Rock Strata: Layers of rock formed over time through sedimentation and tectonic activity.
Plate Tectonics: The theory of Earth's crust being composed of moving plates, leading to the formation of different geological features.
Radiometric Dating: A method used to determine the age of rocks and fossils by measuring the decay of radioactive isotopes.
Index Fossils: Fossilized remains that are used to help identify the relative age of rock layers.
Geological Eras: Divisions of geological time that represent major evolutionary and environmental changes.
Geological Periods: Divisions of geological eras that are characterized by distinctive rock strata and fossil assemblages.
Geological Epochs: Divisions of geological periods that are characterized by specific fauna and flora.
Mass Extinctions: Periods of time when significant portions of earth’s biodiversity was wiped out due to catastrophic environmental changes.
Climate Change: Shifts in the Earth's climate over time that affects geologic processes and the evolution of life.
Eons: The largest subdivision of geologic time, defined as a span of hundreds of millions of years. The current eon is the Phanerozoic Eon, which began about 541 million years ago.
Eras: Subdivisions of eons based on major geological events, such as the appearance of new species or mass extinctions. The Phanerozoic Eon is divided into three eras: Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic.
Periods: Subdivisions of eras based on the relative abundance of certain types of fossils. For example, the Paleozoic Era is divided into the Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian, Carboniferous, and Permian Periods.
Epochs: Subdivisions of periods that reflect smaller, more gradual changes in the geological record. For example, the Paleocene, Eocene, Oligocene, Miocene, Pliocene, and Pleistocene Epochs make up the Cenozoic Era.
Age: The smallest subdivision of geologic time, often marked by the appearance or disappearance of a specific fossil or rock formation. For example, the Holocene Age is the current epoch of the Quaternary Period and began about 11,700 years ago.
"...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."