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class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1</span> <span>Related pages</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Related_pages-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-References" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#References"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2</span> <span>References</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-References-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="mw-content-container"> <main id="content" class="mw-body"> <header class="mw-body-header vector-page-titlebar"> <nav aria-label="Contents" class="vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown vector-page-titlebar-toc vector-button-flush-left" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Toggle the table of contents" > <label id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-label" for="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-listBullet mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-listBullet"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Toggle the table of contents</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <h1 id="firstHeading" class="firstHeading mw-first-heading"><span class="mw-page-title-main">Archaean</span></h1> <div id="p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown mw-portlet mw-portlet-lang" > <input type="checkbox" id="p-lang-btn-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox 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Available in 76 languages" > <label id="p-lang-btn-label" for="p-lang-btn-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--action-progressive mw-portlet-lang-heading-76" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-language-progressive mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-language-progressive"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">76 languages</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-af mw-list-item"><a href="https://af.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arge%C3%AFkum" title="Argeïkum – Afrikaans" lang="af" hreflang="af" data-title="Argeïkum" data-language-autonym="Afrikaans" data-language-local-name="Afrikaans" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Afrikaans</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ar mw-list-item"><a href="https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%87%D8%B1_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%AD%D9%8A%D9%82" title="الدهر السحيق – Arabic" lang="ar" hreflang="ar" data-title="الدهر السحيق" data-language-autonym="العربية" data-language-local-name="Arabic" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>العربية</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-az mw-list-item"><a href="https://az.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arxey" title="Arxey – Azerbaijani" lang="az" hreflang="az" data-title="Arxey" data-language-autonym="Azərbaycanca" data-language-local-name="Azerbaijani" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Azərbaycanca</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-bn mw-list-item"><a href="https://bn.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8" title="আর্কিয়ান – Bangla" lang="bn" hreflang="bn" data-title="আর্কিয়ান" data-language-autonym="বাংলা" data-language-local-name="Bangla" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>বাংলা</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-map-bms mw-list-item"><a href="https://map-bms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkeozoikum" title="Arkeozoikum – Banyumasan" lang="jv-x-bms" hreflang="jv-x-bms" data-title="Arkeozoikum" data-language-autonym="Basa Banyumasan" data-language-local-name="Banyumasan" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Basa Banyumasan</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-be mw-list-item"><a href="https://be.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%90%D1%80%D1%85%D0%B5%D0%B9" title="Архей – Belarusian" lang="be" hreflang="be" data-title="Архей" data-language-autonym="Беларуская" data-language-local-name="Belarusian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Беларуская</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-bg mw-list-item"><a href="https://bg.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%90%D1%80%D1%85%D0%B0%D0%B9" title="Архай – Bulgarian" lang="bg" hreflang="bg" data-title="Архай" data-language-autonym="Български" data-language-local-name="Bulgarian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Български</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-bs mw-list-item"><a href="https://bs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arhaik" title="Arhaik – Bosnian" lang="bs" hreflang="bs" data-title="Arhaik" data-language-autonym="Bosanski" data-language-local-name="Bosnian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bosanski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-br mw-list-item"><a href="https://br.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkean" title="Arkean – Breton" lang="br" hreflang="br" data-title="Arkean" data-language-autonym="Brezhoneg" data-language-local-name="Breton" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Brezhoneg</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ca mw-list-item"><a href="https://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arque%C3%A0" title="Arqueà – Catalan" lang="ca" hreflang="ca" data-title="Arqueà" data-language-autonym="Català" data-language-local-name="Catalan" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Català</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-cs mw-list-item"><a href="https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archaikum" title="Archaikum – Czech" lang="cs" hreflang="cs" data-title="Archaikum" data-language-autonym="Čeština" data-language-local-name="Czech" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Čeština</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-cy mw-list-item"><a href="https://cy.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archeaidd" title="Archeaidd – Welsh" lang="cy" hreflang="cy" data-title="Archeaidd" data-language-autonym="Cymraeg" data-language-local-name="Welsh" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Cymraeg</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-da mw-list-item"><a href="https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ark%C3%A6ikum" title="Arkæikum – Danish" lang="da" hreflang="da" data-title="Arkæikum" data-language-autonym="Dansk" data-language-local-name="Danish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Dansk</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-de mw-list-item"><a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archaikum" title="Archaikum – German" lang="de" hreflang="de" data-title="Archaikum" data-language-autonym="Deutsch" data-language-local-name="German" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Deutsch</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-et mw-list-item"><a href="https://et.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arhaikum" title="Arhaikum – Estonian" lang="et" hreflang="et" data-title="Arhaikum" data-language-autonym="Eesti" data-language-local-name="Estonian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Eesti</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-el mw-list-item"><a href="https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%91%CF%81%CF%87%CE%B1%CE%B9%CE%BF%CE%B6%CF%89%CE%B9%CE%BA%CF%8C%CF%82_%CE%BC%CE%B5%CE%B3%CE%B1%CE%B1%CE%B9%CF%8E%CE%BD%CE%B1%CF%82" title="Αρχαιοζωικός μεγααιώνας – Greek" lang="el" hreflang="el" data-title="Αρχαιοζωικός μεγααιώνας" data-language-autonym="Ελληνικά" data-language-local-name="Greek" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Ελληνικά</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-en mw-list-item"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archean" title="Archean – English" lang="en" hreflang="en" data-title="Archean" data-language-autonym="English" data-language-local-name="English" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>English</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-es mw-list-item"><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/E%C3%B3n_arcaico" title="Eón arcaico – Spanish" lang="es" hreflang="es" data-title="Eón arcaico" data-language-autonym="Español" data-language-local-name="Spanish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Español</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-eo mw-list-item"><a href="https://eo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkeano" title="Arkeano – Esperanto" lang="eo" hreflang="eo" data-title="Arkeano" data-language-autonym="Esperanto" data-language-local-name="Esperanto" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Esperanto</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-eu mw-list-item"><a href="https://eu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkear" title="Arkear – Basque" lang="eu" hreflang="eu" data-title="Arkear" data-language-autonym="Euskara" data-language-local-name="Basque" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Euskara</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fa mw-list-item"><a href="https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%86%D8%AE%D8%B3%D8%AA%E2%80%8C%D8%B2%DB%8C%D8%B3%D8%AA%DB%8C" title="نخست‌زیستی – Persian" lang="fa" hreflang="fa" data-title="نخست‌زیستی" data-language-autonym="فارسی" data-language-local-name="Persian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>فارسی</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fr mw-list-item"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arch%C3%A9en" title="Archéen – French" lang="fr" hreflang="fr" data-title="Archéen" data-language-autonym="Français" data-language-local-name="French" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Français</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ga mw-list-item"><a href="https://ga.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_tAe%C3%B3n_Airc%C3%A9ach" title="An tAeón Aircéach – Irish" lang="ga" hreflang="ga" data-title="An tAeón Aircéach" data-language-autonym="Gaeilge" data-language-local-name="Irish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Gaeilge</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-gl mw-list-item"><a href="https://gl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arcaico" title="Arcaico – Galician" lang="gl" hreflang="gl" data-title="Arcaico" data-language-autonym="Galego" data-language-local-name="Galician" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Galego</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ko mw-list-item"><a href="https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EC%8B%9C%EC%83%9D%EB%88%84%EB%8C%80" title="시생누대 – Korean" lang="ko" hreflang="ko" data-title="시생누대" data-language-autonym="한국어" data-language-local-name="Korean" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>한국어</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-hy mw-list-item"><a href="https://hy.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D4%B1%D6%80%D5%AD%D5%A5%D5%B5%D5%A1%D5%B6_%D5%A4%D5%A1%D6%80%D5%A1%D5%B7%D6%80%D5%BB%D5%A1%D5%B6" title="Արխեյան դարաշրջան – Armenian" lang="hy" hreflang="hy" data-title="Արխեյան դարաշրջան" data-language-autonym="Հայերեն" data-language-local-name="Armenian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Հայերեն</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-hi mw-list-item"><a href="https://hi.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A4%86%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%88_%E0%A4%87%E0%A4%93%E0%A4%A8" title="आर्कियाई इओन – Hindi" lang="hi" hreflang="hi" data-title="आर्कियाई इओन" data-language-autonym="हिन्दी" data-language-local-name="Hindi" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>हिन्दी</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-hr mw-list-item"><a href="https://hr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arhaik" title="Arhaik – Croatian" lang="hr" hreflang="hr" data-title="Arhaik" data-language-autonym="Hrvatski" data-language-local-name="Croatian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Hrvatski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-id mw-list-item"><a href="https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkaikum" title="Arkaikum – Indonesian" lang="id" hreflang="id" data-title="Arkaikum" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Indonesia" data-language-local-name="Indonesian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bahasa Indonesia</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-is mw-list-item"><a href="https://is.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upphafs%C3%B6ld" title="Upphafsöld – Icelandic" lang="is" hreflang="is" data-title="Upphafsöld" data-language-autonym="Íslenska" data-language-local-name="Icelandic" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Íslenska</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-it mw-list-item"><a href="https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archeano" title="Archeano – Italian" lang="it" hreflang="it" data-title="Archeano" data-language-autonym="Italiano" data-language-local-name="Italian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Italiano</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-he mw-list-item"><a href="https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%90%D7%A8%D7%9B%D7%90%D7%99%D7%A7%D7%95%D7%9F" title="ארכאיקון – Hebrew" lang="he" hreflang="he" data-title="ארכאיקון" data-language-autonym="עברית" data-language-local-name="Hebrew" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>עברית</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-kn mw-list-item"><a href="https://kn.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B2%86%E0%B2%B0%E0%B3%8D%E0%B2%95%E0%B2%BF%E0%B2%AF%E0%B2%A8%E0%B3%8D_%E0%B2%95%E0%B2%B2%E0%B3%8D%E0%B2%AA" title="ಆರ್ಕಿಯನ್ ಕಲ್ಪ – Kannada" lang="kn" hreflang="kn" data-title="ಆರ್ಕಿಯನ್ ಕಲ್ಪ" data-language-autonym="ಕನ್ನಡ" data-language-local-name="Kannada" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>ಕನ್ನಡ</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ka mw-list-item"><a href="https://ka.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%83%90%E1%83%A0%E1%83%A5%E1%83%94%E1%83%A3%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98_%E1%83%94%E1%83%A0%E1%83%90" title="არქეული ერა – Georgian" lang="ka" hreflang="ka" data-title="არქეული ერა" data-language-autonym="ქართული" data-language-local-name="Georgian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>ქართული</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-kk mw-list-item"><a href="https://kk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%90%D1%80%D1%85%D0%B5%D0%B9" title="Архей – Kazakh" lang="kk" hreflang="kk" data-title="Архей" data-language-autonym="Қазақша" data-language-local-name="Kazakh" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Қазақша</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-avk mw-list-item"><a href="https://avk.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arxea" title="Arxea – Kotava" lang="avk" hreflang="avk" data-title="Arxea" data-language-autonym="Kotava" data-language-local-name="Kotava" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Kotava</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-la mw-list-item"><a href="https://la.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archaicum" title="Archaicum – Latin" lang="la" hreflang="la" data-title="Archaicum" data-language-autonym="Latina" data-language-local-name="Latin" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Latina</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-lv mw-list-item"><a href="https://lv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arhajs" title="Arhajs – Latvian" lang="lv" hreflang="lv" data-title="Arhajs" data-language-autonym="Latviešu" data-language-local-name="Latvian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Latviešu</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-lt mw-list-item"><a href="https://lt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arch%C4%97jus" title="Archėjus – Lithuanian" lang="lt" hreflang="lt" data-title="Archėjus" data-language-autonym="Lietuvių" data-language-local-name="Lithuanian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Lietuvių</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-lfn mw-list-item"><a href="https://lfn.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arcaica" title="Arcaica – Lingua Franca Nova" lang="lfn" hreflang="lfn" data-title="Arcaica" data-language-autonym="Lingua Franca Nova" data-language-local-name="Lingua Franca Nova" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Lingua Franca Nova</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-hu mw-list-item"><a href="https://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archaikum" title="Archaikum – Hungarian" lang="hu" hreflang="hu" data-title="Archaikum" data-language-autonym="Magyar" data-language-local-name="Hungarian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Magyar</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-arz mw-list-item"><a href="https://arz.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%83%D9%8A%D8%A7" title="اركيا – Egyptian Arabic" lang="arz" hreflang="arz" data-title="اركيا" data-language-autonym="مصرى" data-language-local-name="Egyptian Arabic" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>مصرى</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ms mw-list-item"><a href="https://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkean" title="Arkean – Malay" lang="ms" hreflang="ms" data-title="Arkean" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Melayu" data-language-local-name="Malay" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bahasa Melayu</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-nl mw-list-item"><a href="https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arche%C3%AFcum" title="Archeïcum – Dutch" lang="nl" hreflang="nl" data-title="Archeïcum" data-language-autonym="Nederlands" data-language-local-name="Dutch" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Nederlands</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ja mw-list-item"><a href="https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A4%AA%E5%8F%A4%E4%BB%A3" title="太古代 – Japanese" lang="ja" hreflang="ja" data-title="太古代" data-language-autonym="日本語" data-language-local-name="Japanese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>日本語</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-frr mw-list-item"><a href="https://frr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archaikum" title="Archaikum – Northern Frisian" lang="frr" hreflang="frr" data-title="Archaikum" data-language-autonym="Nordfriisk" data-language-local-name="Northern Frisian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Nordfriisk</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-no mw-list-item"><a href="https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkeikum" title="Arkeikum – Norwegian Bokmål" lang="nb" hreflang="nb" data-title="Arkeikum" data-language-autonym="Norsk bokmål" data-language-local-name="Norwegian Bokmål" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Norsk bokmål</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-nn mw-list-item"><a href="https://nn.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkeikum" title="Arkeikum – Norwegian Nynorsk" lang="nn" hreflang="nn" data-title="Arkeikum" data-language-autonym="Norsk nynorsk" data-language-local-name="Norwegian Nynorsk" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Norsk nynorsk</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-oc mw-list-item"><a href="https://oc.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arquean" title="Arquean – Occitan" lang="oc" hreflang="oc" data-title="Arquean" data-language-autonym="Occitan" data-language-local-name="Occitan" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Occitan</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-uz mw-list-item"><a href="https://uz.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arxey" title="Arxey – Uzbek" lang="uz" hreflang="uz" data-title="Arxey" data-language-autonym="Oʻzbekcha / ўзбекча" data-language-local-name="Uzbek" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Oʻzbekcha / ўзбекча</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pnb mw-list-item"><a href="https://pnb.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%A2%D8%B1%DA%A9%DB%8C%D9%86" title="آرکین – Western Punjabi" lang="pnb" hreflang="pnb" data-title="آرکین" data-language-autonym="پنجابی" data-language-local-name="Western Punjabi" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>پنجابی</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-nds mw-list-item"><a href="https://nds.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archaikum" title="Archaikum – Low German" lang="nds" hreflang="nds" data-title="Archaikum" data-language-autonym="Plattdüütsch" data-language-local-name="Low German" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Plattdüütsch</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pl mw-list-item"><a href="https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archaik" title="Archaik – Polish" lang="pl" hreflang="pl" data-title="Archaik" data-language-autonym="Polski" data-language-local-name="Polish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Polski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pt mw-list-item"><a href="https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arqueano" title="Arqueano – Portuguese" lang="pt" hreflang="pt" data-title="Arqueano" data-language-autonym="Português" data-language-local-name="Portuguese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Português</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ro mw-list-item"><a href="https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arhaic" title="Arhaic – Romanian" lang="ro" hreflang="ro" data-title="Arhaic" data-language-autonym="Română" data-language-local-name="Romanian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Română</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ru mw-list-item"><a href="https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%90%D1%80%D1%85%D0%B5%D0%B9" title="Архей – Russian" lang="ru" hreflang="ru" data-title="Архей" data-language-autonym="Русский" data-language-local-name="Russian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Русский</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sah mw-list-item"><a href="https://sah.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%90%D1%80%D1%85%D0%B5%D0%B9,_(%D0%B3%D0%B5%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%B8%D1%8F)" title="Архей, (геология) – Yakut" lang="sah" hreflang="sah" data-title="Архей, (геология)" data-language-autonym="Саха тыла" data-language-local-name="Yakut" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Саха тыла</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sco mw-list-item"><a href="https://sco.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archean" title="Archean – Scots" lang="sco" hreflang="sco" data-title="Archean" data-language-autonym="Scots" data-language-local-name="Scots" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Scots</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-si mw-list-item"><a href="https://si.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B6%86%E0%B6%9A%E0%B7%92%E0%B6%BA%E0%B7%8F%E0%B6%B1%E0%B7%94" title="ආකියානු – Sinhala" lang="si" hreflang="si" data-title="ආකියානු" data-language-autonym="සිංහල" data-language-local-name="Sinhala" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>සිංහල</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sk mw-list-item"><a href="https://sk.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archaikum" title="Archaikum – Slovak" lang="sk" hreflang="sk" data-title="Archaikum" data-language-autonym="Slovenčina" data-language-local-name="Slovak" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Slovenčina</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sl mw-list-item"><a href="https://sl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arhaik" title="Arhaik – Slovenian" lang="sl" hreflang="sl" data-title="Arhaik" data-language-autonym="Slovenščina" data-language-local-name="Slovenian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Slovenščina</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-so mw-list-item"><a href="https://so.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkeyaan" title="Arkeyaan – Somali" lang="so" hreflang="so" data-title="Arkeyaan" data-language-autonym="Soomaaliga" data-language-local-name="Somali" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Soomaaliga</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sr mw-list-item"><a href="https://sr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%90%D1%80%D1%85%D0%B0%D0%B8%D0%BA" title="Архаик – Serbian" lang="sr" hreflang="sr" data-title="Архаик" data-language-autonym="Српски / srpski" data-language-local-name="Serbian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Српски / srpski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sh badge-Q70893996 mw-list-item" title=""><a href="https://sh.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arhej" title="Arhej – Serbo-Croatian" lang="sh" hreflang="sh" data-title="Arhej" data-language-autonym="Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски" data-language-local-name="Serbo-Croatian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fi mw-list-item"><a href="https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkeeinen_eoni" title="Arkeeinen eoni – Finnish" lang="fi" hreflang="fi" data-title="Arkeeinen eoni" data-language-autonym="Suomi" data-language-local-name="Finnish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Suomi</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sv mw-list-item"><a href="https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkeikum" title="Arkeikum – Swedish" lang="sv" hreflang="sv" data-title="Arkeikum" data-language-autonym="Svenska" data-language-local-name="Swedish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Svenska</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-tl badge-Q70893996 mw-list-item" title=""><a href="https://tl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archean" title="Archean – Tagalog" lang="tl" hreflang="tl" data-title="Archean" data-language-autonym="Tagalog" data-language-local-name="Tagalog" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Tagalog</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-tt mw-list-item"><a href="https://tt.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%90%D1%80%D1%85%D0%B5%D0%B9" title="Архей – Tatar" lang="tt" hreflang="tt" data-title="Архей" data-language-autonym="Татарча / tatarça" data-language-local-name="Tatar" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Татарча / tatarça</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-th mw-list-item"><a href="https://th.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%A2%E0%B8%B8%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%8C%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%B5%E0%B8%A2%E0%B8%99" title="บรมยุคอาร์เคียน – Thai" lang="th" hreflang="th" data-title="บรมยุคอาร์เคียน" data-language-autonym="ไทย" data-language-local-name="Thai" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>ไทย</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-tg mw-list-item"><a href="https://tg.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%90%D1%80%D1%85%D0%B5%D0%B9" title="Архей – Tajik" lang="tg" hreflang="tg" data-title="Архей" data-language-autonym="Тоҷикӣ" data-language-local-name="Tajik" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Тоҷикӣ</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-tr mw-list-item"><a href="https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkeen" title="Arkeen – Turkish" lang="tr" hreflang="tr" data-title="Arkeen" data-language-autonym="Türkçe" data-language-local-name="Turkish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Türkçe</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-uk mw-list-item"><a href="https://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%90%D1%80%D1%85%D0%B5%D0%B9%D1%81%D1%8C%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B9_%D0%B5%D0%BE%D0%BD" title="Архейський еон – Ukrainian" lang="uk" hreflang="uk" data-title="Архейський еон" data-language-autonym="Українська" data-language-local-name="Ukrainian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Українська</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-vi mw-list-item"><a href="https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li%C3%AAn_%C4%91%E1%BA%A1i_Th%C3%A1i_c%E1%BB%95" title="Liên đại Thái cổ – Vietnamese" lang="vi" hreflang="vi" data-title="Liên đại Thái cổ" data-language-autonym="Tiếng Việt" data-language-local-name="Vietnamese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Tiếng Việt</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-wuu mw-list-item"><a href="https://wuu.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A4%AA%E5%8F%A4%E5%AE%99" title="太古宙 – Wu" lang="wuu" hreflang="wuu" data-title="太古宙" data-language-autonym="吴语" data-language-local-name="Wu" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>吴语</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-zh-yue mw-list-item"><a href="https://zh-yue.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A4%AA%E5%8F%A4%E5%AE%99" title="太古宙 – Cantonese" lang="yue" hreflang="yue" 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class="vector-pinnable-header vector-appearance-pinnable-header vector-pinnable-header-pinned" data-feature-name="appearance-pinned" data-pinnable-element-id="vector-appearance" data-pinned-container-id="vector-appearance-pinned-container" data-unpinned-container-id="vector-appearance-unpinned-container" > <div class="vector-pinnable-header-label">Appearance</div> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-pin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-appearance.pin">move to sidebar</button> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-unpin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-appearance.unpin">hide</button> </div> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div id="bodyContent" class="vector-body" aria-labelledby="firstHeading" data-mw-ve-target-container> <div class="vector-body-before-content"> <div class="mw-indicators"> </div> <div id="siteSub" class="noprint">From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</div> </div> <div id="contentSub"><div id="mw-content-subtitle"></div></div> <div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><figure class="mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Karijini8.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b5/Karijini8.jpg/300px-Karijini8.jpg" decoding="async" width="300" height="200" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b5/Karijini8.jpg/450px-Karijini8.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b5/Karijini8.jpg/600px-Karijini8.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1728" data-file-height="1152" /></a><figcaption>Weano Gorge in Karijini National Park: showing the bright-red strata of the iron-bearing Archaean rocks of the <a href="/wiki/Pilbara" title="Pilbara">Pilbara</a>.</figcaption></figure> <p>The <b>Archaean</b> (or Archean) <a href="/wiki/Eon" title="Eon">eon</a> is the <a href="/wiki/Geology" title="Geology">geological</a> period after the <a href="/wiki/Hadean" title="Hadean">Hadean</a> and before the <a href="/wiki/Proterozoic" title="Proterozoic">Proterozoic</a>. It is one of the four main time periods (<a href="/wiki/Eon" title="Eon">eons</a>) of <a href="/wiki/Earth" title="Earth">Earth</a> history. The Archaean lasted from 4,000 million years ago (mya) to 2,500 mya. It contains the first <a href="/wiki/Sedimentary_rock" title="Sedimentary rock">sedimentary rocks</a>, and the first <a href="/wiki/Fossil" title="Fossil">fossil</a> life forms, which were <a href="/wiki/Cyanobacteria" title="Cyanobacteria">cyanobacteria</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and <a href="/wiki/Acritarch" title="Acritarch">acritarchs</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Most of the rocks which survive are <a href="/wiki/Volcano" title="Volcano">volcanic</a> (<a href="/wiki/Igneous" class="mw-redirect" title="Igneous">igneous</a>) and <a href="/wiki/Metamorphic_rock" title="Metamorphic rock">metamorphic</a> in origin. Volcanic activity was everywhere. When the Archaean began, the Earth's heat flow was nearly three times higher than it is today. It was still twice the current level when the Archaean ended, 2,500 mya. This high level of heat flow may have made <a href="/wiki/Plate_tectonics" title="Plate tectonics">plate tectonics</a> more vigorous than today. The question of when plate tectonics began is a major research area.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The large <a href="/wiki/Supercontinent" title="Supercontinent">supercontinent</a> <a href="/wiki/Vaalbara" title="Vaalbara">Vaalbara</a> formed in the Archaean. There were oceans already, before the Archaean. The <a href="/wiki/Atmosphere" title="Atmosphere">atmosphere</a> almost entirely lacked free <a href="/wiki/Oxygen" title="Oxygen">oxygen</a>, and instead, it was mostly <a href="/wiki/Methane" title="Methane">methane</a> and <a href="/wiki/Carbon_dioxide" title="Carbon dioxide">CO<sub>2</sub></a>. </p><p>Fossil <a href="/wiki/Bacteria" title="Bacteria">bacterial</a> mats, called <a href="/wiki/Stromatolite" title="Stromatolite">stromatolites</a>, are found throughout the Archaean after about 3,500mya. These were formed by <a href="/wiki/Cyanobacteria" title="Cyanobacteria">cyanobacteria</a>, which used <a href="/wiki/Photosynthesis" title="Photosynthesis">photosynthesis</a> and gave off <a href="/wiki/Oxygen" title="Oxygen">oxygen</a> as a by-product.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Initially, this oxygen was absorbed by combining with <a href="/wiki/Iron" title="Iron">iron</a> <a href="/wiki/Ion" title="Ion">ions</a> in <a href="/wiki/Solution" class="mw-redirect" title="Solution">solution</a>. Not until much later did oxygen build up in the atmosphere.<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Fossil raindrop marks have been found in the later Archaean, 2,700 mya.<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The rocks were discovered in Ventersdorp in the <a href="/wiki/North_West_Province" class="mw-redirect" title="North West Province">North West Province</a> of <a href="/wiki/South_Africa" title="South Africa">South Africa</a> in the 1980s. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Related_pages">Related pages</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Archaean&veaction=edit&section=1" title="Change section: Related pages" class="mw-editsection-visualeditor"><span>change</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-divider"> | </span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Archaean&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section's source code: Related pages"><span>change source</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Template:Life_timeline" title="Template:Life timeline">Life timeline</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Archaean&veaction=edit&section=2" title="Change section: References" class="mw-editsection-visualeditor"><span>change</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-divider"> | </span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Archaean&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section's source code: References"><span>change source</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r9724317">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-1">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Knoll, Andrew H. 2004. <i>Life on a young planet: the first three billion years of evolution on Earth</i>. Princeton, N.J. <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r9724332">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-691-12029-3" title="Special:BookSources/0-691-12029-3">0-691-12029-3</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-2">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Buick R. 2010. Early life: ancient acritarchs. <i>Nature</i> <b>463</b>: 885–886. doi:10.1038/463885a. <a class="external mw-magiclink-pmid" rel="nofollow" href="//www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20164911?dopt=Abstract">PMID 20164911</a>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-3">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Stanley, Steven M. 1999. <i>Earth system history</i>. New York: Freeman. p297-301 <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r9724332"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7167-2882-6" title="Special:BookSources/0-7167-2882-6">0-7167-2882-6</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-4">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Schopf J.W. 1992. Geology and paleobiology of the Archaean Earth, in Schopf J.W., and Klein C. <i>The Proterozoic biosphere: a multidisciplinary study</i>, Cambridge University Press. <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r9724332"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-521-36615-1" title="Special:BookSources/0-521-36615-1">0-521-36615-1</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-5">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">see <a href="/wiki/Great_Oxygenation_Event" title="Great Oxygenation Event">Great Oxygenation Event</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-6">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Amos, Jonathan 2012. Fossil raindrops probe ancient atmosphere. <i>BBC News: Science & Environment</i>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-20575250">[1]</a></span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="navbox-styles nomobile"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r9122492">.mw-parser-output .navbox{box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #a2a9b1;width:100%;clear:both;font-size:88%;text-align:center;padding:1px;margin:1em auto 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbox{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox,.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox-styles+.navbox{margin-top:-1px}.mw-parser-output .navbox-inner,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup{width:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-title,.mw-parser-output .navbox-abovebelow{padding:0.25em 1em;line-height:1.5em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .navbox-group{white-space:nowrap;text-align:right}.mw-parser-output .navbox,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup{background-color:#fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-list{line-height:1.5em;border-color:#fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-list-with-group{text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid}.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-group,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-image,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-list{border-top:2px solid #fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-title{background-color:#ccf}.mw-parser-output .navbox-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-title{background-color:#ddf}.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-abovebelow{background-color:#e6e6ff}.mw-parser-output .navbox-even{background-color:#f7f7f7}.mw-parser-output .navbox-odd{background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td dl,.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td ol,.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td ul,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist ul{padding:0.125em 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbar{display:block;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-title .navbar{float:left;text-align:left;margin-right:0.5em}</style></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="Geological_history_of_Earth" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r9122447">.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:inline;font-size:88%;font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .navbar-collapse{float:left;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .navbar-boxtext{word-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .navbar ul{display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;line-height:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::before{margin-right:-0.125em;content:"[ "}.mw-parser-output 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transparent;border:none;box-shadow:none;padding:0;">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a class="external text" href="https://simple.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Geological_history_of_Earth&action=edit"><abbr title="Edit this template" style=";;background:none transparent;border:none;box-shadow:none;padding:0;">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Geological_history_of_Earth" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/Geological_history_of_Earth" title="Geological history of Earth">Geological history of Earth</a></div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Cainozoic" title="Cainozoic">Cenozoic era<br /><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r6670383">'"`UNIQ--templatestyles-00000010-QINU`"'</style><span class="nobold">(the last 66 million years)</span></a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:20.5em"><a href="/wiki/Quaternary" title="Quaternary">Quaternary <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r6670383"><span class="nobold">(the last 2.588 million years)</span></a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Holocene" title="Holocene">Holocene (the last 11,650 years)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pleistocene" title="Pleistocene">Pleistocene (11,650 years ago–2.588 million years ago)</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:20.5em"><a href="/wiki/Neogene" title="Neogene">Neogene <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r6670383"><span class="nobold">(2.588 million years ago–23.03</span></a> <a href="/wiki/Mya" class="mw-redirect" title="Mya">mya</a><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r6670383"><span class="nobold">)</span></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Pliocene" title="Pliocene">Pliocene (2.588–5.333 mya)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Miocene" title="Miocene">Miocene (5.333–23.03 mya)</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:20.5em"><a href="/wiki/Palaeogene" title="Palaeogene">Palaeogene <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r6670383"><span class="nobold">(23.03 million years ago–66 mya)</span></a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Oligocene" title="Oligocene">Oligocene (23.03–33.9 mya)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Eocene" title="Eocene">Eocene (33.9–56.0 mya)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Palaeocene" title="Palaeocene">Palaeocene (56.0–66.0 mya)</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Mesozoic" title="Mesozoic">Mesozoic era<br /><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r6670383"><span class="nobold">(66 million years ago–251.902 mya)</span></a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:20.5em"><a href="/wiki/Cretaceous" title="Cretaceous">Cretaceous <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r6670383"><span class="nobold">(66 million years ago–145.0 mya)</span></a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Late_Cretaceous" class="mw-redirect" title="Late Cretaceous">Late (66.0–100.5 mya)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Early_Cretaceous" class="mw-redirect" title="Early Cretaceous">Early (100.5–145.0 mya)</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:20.5em"><a href="/wiki/Jurassic" title="Jurassic">Jurassic <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r6670383"><span class="nobold">(145 million years ago–201.3 mya)</span></a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Late_Jurassic" class="mw-redirect" title="Late Jurassic">Late (145.0–163.5 mya)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Middle_Jurassic" title="Middle Jurassic">Middle (163.5–174.1 mya)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Early_Jurassic" class="mw-redirect" title="Early Jurassic">Early (174.1–201.3 mya)</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:20.5em"><a href="/wiki/Triassic" title="Triassic">Triassic <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r6670383"><span class="nobold">(201.3–251.902 mya)</span></a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Late_Triassic" class="mw-redirect" title="Late Triassic">Late (201.3–237 mya)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Middle_Triassic" title="Middle Triassic">Middle (237–247.2 mya)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Early_Triassic" class="mw-redirect" title="Early Triassic">Early (247.2–251.902 mya)</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Palaeozoic" title="Palaeozoic">Palaeozoic era<br /><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r6670383"><span class="nobold">(251.902–541.0 mya)</span></a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:20.5em"><a href="/wiki/Permian" title="Permian">Permian <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r6670383"><span class="nobold">(251.902–298.9 mya)</span></a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Lopingian&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Lopingian (not yet started)">Lopingian (251.902–259.8 mya)</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Guadalupian&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Guadalupian (not yet started)">Guadalupian (259.8–272.3 mya)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cisuralian" title="Cisuralian">Cisuralian (272.3–298.9 mya)</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:20.5em"><a href="/wiki/Carboniferous" title="Carboniferous">Carboniferous <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r6670383"><span class="nobold">(298.9–358.9 mya)</span></a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Pennsylvanian" title="Pennsylvanian">Pennsylvanian (298.9–323.2 mya)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mississippian" class="mw-redirect" title="Mississippian">Mississippian (323.2–358.9 mya)</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:20.5em"><a href="/wiki/Devonian" title="Devonian">Devonian <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r6670383"><span class="nobold">(358.9–419.2 mya)</span></a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Late_Devonian&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Late Devonian (not yet started)">Late (358.9–382.7 mya)</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Middle_Devonian&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Middle Devonian (not yet started)">Middle (382.7–393.3 mya)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Early_Devonian" class="mw-redirect" title="Early Devonian">Early (393.3–419.2 mya)</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:20.5em"><a href="/wiki/Silurian" title="Silurian">Silurian <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r6670383"><span class="nobold">(419.2–443.8 Mya)</span></a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Pridoli_epoch&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Pridoli epoch (not yet started)">Pridoli (419.2–423.0 mya)</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ludlow_epoch&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Ludlow epoch (not yet started)">Ludlow (423.0–427.4 mya)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wenlock_(Silurian)" class="mw-redirect" title="Wenlock (Silurian)">Wenlock (427.4–433.4 mya)</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Llandovery_epoch&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Llandovery epoch (not yet started)">Llandovery (433.4–443.8 mya)</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:20.5em"><a href="/wiki/Ordovician" title="Ordovician">Ordovician <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r6670383"><span class="nobold">(443.8–485.4 mya)</span></a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Late_Ordovician&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Late Ordovician (not yet started)">Late (443.8–458.4 mya)</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Middle_Ordovician&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Middle Ordovician (not yet started)">Middle (458.4–470.0 mya)</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Early_Ordovician&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Early Ordovician (not yet started)">Early (470.0–485.4 mya)</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:20.5em"><a href="/wiki/Cambrian" title="Cambrian">Cambrian <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r6670383"><span class="nobold">(485.4–541.0 mya)</span></a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Furongian&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Furongian (not yet started)">Furongian (485.4–497 mya)</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Miaolingian&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Miaolingian (not yet started)">Miaolingian (497–509 mya)</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Cambrian_Series_2&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Cambrian Series 2 (not yet started)">Series 2 (509–521 mya)</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Terreneuvian&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Terreneuvian (not yet started)">Terreneuvian (521–541.0 mya)</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Proterozoic" title="Proterozoic">Proterozoic eon<br /><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r6670383"><span class="nobold">(541.0 mya–2.5 Gya)</span></a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:20.5em"><a href="/wiki/Neoproterozoic" title="Neoproterozoic">Neoproterozoic era <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r6670383"><span class="nobold">(541.0 mya–1 Gya)</span></a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Ediacaran" title="Ediacaran">Ediacaran (541.0–~635 mya)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cryogenian" title="Cryogenian">Cryogenian (~635–~720 mya)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tonian" title="Tonian">Tonian (~720 mya–1 Gya)</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:20.5em"><a href="/wiki/Mesoproterozoic" title="Mesoproterozoic">Mesoproterozoic era <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r6670383"><span class="nobold">(1–1.6 Gya)</span></a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Stenian" title="Stenian">Stenian (1–1.2 Gya)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ectasian" title="Ectasian">Ectasian (1.2–1.4 Gya)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Calymmian" title="Calymmian">Calymmian (1.4–1.6 Gya)</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:20.5em"><a href="/wiki/Palaeoproterozoic" title="Palaeoproterozoic">Palaeoproterozoic era <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r6670383"><span class="nobold">(1.6–2.5 Gya)</span></a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Statherian" title="Statherian">Statherian (1.6–1.8 Gya)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Orosirian" title="Orosirian">Orosirian (1.8–2.05 Gya)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rhyacian" title="Rhyacian">Rhyacian (2.05–2.3 Gya)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Siderian" title="Siderian">Siderian (2.3–2.5 Gya)</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Archean" class="mw-redirect" title="Archean">Archean eon <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r6670383"><span class="nobold">(2.5–4 Gya)</span></a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th id="Eras" scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:20.5em">Eras</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Neoarchean" class="mw-redirect" title="Neoarchean">Neoarchean (2.5–2.8 Gya)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mesoarchean" class="mw-redirect" title="Mesoarchean">Mesoarchean (2.8–3.2 Gya)</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Palaeoarchean&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Palaeoarchean (not yet started)">Palaeoarchean (3.2–3.6 Gya)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Eoarchean" class="mw-redirect" title="Eoarchean">Eoarchean (3.6–4 Gya)</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Hadean" title="Hadean">Hadean eon <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r6670383"><span class="nobold">(4–4.6 Gya)</span></a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:20.5em"> </th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2"><div><a href="/w/index.php?title=Tya_(unit)&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Tya (unit) (not yet started)">kya</a> = thousands years ago. <a href="/wiki/Mya_(unit)" title="Mya (unit)">mya</a> = millions years ago. <a href="/w/index.php?title=Billion_years&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Billion years (not yet started)">Gya</a> = billions years ago. <br /><i>See also:</i> <a href="/wiki/Geologic_time_scale" title="Geologic time scale">Geologic time scale</a>,</div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="navbox-styles nomobile"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r9122492"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox authority-control" aria-label="Navbox" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks hlist navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Help:Authority_control" class="mw-redirect" title="Help:Authority control">Authority control</a>: National <span class="mw-valign-text-top noprint" typeof="mw:File/Frameless"><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q104168#identifiers" title="Edit this at Wikidata"><img alt="Edit this at Wikidata" 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