Aeon facts for kids

The word aeon (pronounced EE-on) originally meant "life" or "a very long period of time." It comes from an ancient Greek word that meant "century." Today, an aeon usually means a very, very long, undefined period. In science, especially in geology, cosmology, and astronomy, an aeon often means a billion years.

Our Earth's history is divided into four main aeons on the geologic time scale:

• The Hadean
• The Archean
• The Proterozoic
• The Phanerozoic (which is the aeon we are in now)

Aeons in Science

Aeons in Astronomy

In astronomy, an aeon is a huge amount of time: one billion years (1,000,000,000 years). This is often written as 10⁹ years.

Some scientists, like Roger Penrose, use the word aeon to talk about the periods between different Big Bangs in a theory about how the universe might keep restarting.

Aeons in Geology

As mentioned, the Earth's long history is split into four main aeons. These are the largest divisions of time on the geologic time scale. Each aeon represents a massive chunk of Earth's past, marked by big changes in the planet and life on it.

Aeons in Beliefs and Philosophy

Many different beliefs and philosophies use the idea of an "aeon" to describe very long periods or even eternal concepts.

Aeons in Buddhism

In Buddhism, an "aeon" or mahakalpa is a super long time, often said to be about 1,334,240,000 years. This is thought to be the full life cycle of a world.

Aeons in Ancient Greek Philosophy

The ancient Greek philosopher Plato used the word aeon to describe an eternal world of perfect ideas. He believed this world was "behind" the world we see and experience every day. He explained this idea in his famous allegory of the cave.

Aeons in Christianity

In Christianity, the idea of "eternal life" comes from Greek words that can mean life in the "next aeon" (like the Kingdom of God or Heaven), as well as immortality.

Some Christian beliefs suggest that the Greek word for aeon means a long but limited period. So, "aeonian life" or "aeonian punishment" would mean lasting for a very long time, but not necessarily forever. After these long periods, all punishment would stop, and death would be overcome.

Aeons in Other Beliefs

Some Occult traditions, like Thelema, talk about a "magical Aeon." This is a period of time, sometimes as short as 2,000 years, that is important for spiritual changes.

Sometimes, the word aeon can also be an old name for very powerful beings, like gods.

See also

In Spanish: Eón para niños

• Aion (deity)
• Century
• Kalpa (aeon)
• Millennium
• Saeculum – comparable Latin concept
• Aeon § Notes