Era facts for kids
An era in geology is a very long stretch of time. We are talking about hundreds of millions of years! Geologists use these names to describe long periods of rock layers. For example, the Mesozoic era is famous because that's when dinosaurs lived on Earth.
An era is like a big chapter in Earth's history book. It is made up of smaller parts called periods. Several eras together form an even bigger time unit called an eon.
What is a Geological Era?
An era is a huge chunk of time in Earth's past. It can last for hundreds of millions of years. Scientists study rock layers to figure out these different time periods. Each era has its own special features, like certain types of plants and animals that lived then.
How Eras Fit Together
Think of Earth's history as a giant timeline.
- The biggest parts are called eons.
- Eons are divided into eras.
- Eras are then split into smaller periods.
The Phanerozoic eon is the one we are in now. It began about 541 million years ago. This eon is divided into three main eras:
- Paleozoic era: This name means "ancient life." It was a time when many new types of life appeared in the oceans.
- Mesozoic era: This means "middle life." This era is well-known as the age of dinosaurs.
- Cainozoic era: This means "recent life." This is the era we live in today, and it's when mammals became very common.
See also
- In Spanish: Era (cronología) para niños
