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geological time

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geological time

the period beginning with the formation of the earth and ending in the present day. It is often tabulated beginning with the Cambrian period, since the majority of fossil forms date from then. Precambrian time began with the formation of the earth about 4,600 million years ago. Dating of rocks is usually carried out by the measurement of radioactive decay. The older the rock the less radioactive it is. Organic remains are dated by CARBON DATING. See Appendix A.
Collins Dictionary of Biology, 3rd ed. © W. G. Hale, V. A. Saunders, J. P. Margham 2005
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References in periodicals archive
The Anthropocene Working Group was convened by the stratigraphy commission in 2009 to sort out the definition of the Anthropocene and assess whether the time interval should be formally added to the geologic time scale. Among its 35 members, the working group contains an international mix of geologists, climate scientists, archaeologists and other experts.
The authors advocate that students frequently lack fundamental numerical literacy on the order of millions or billions, and that this comprehension is critical to grasping key evolutionary concepts related to the geologic time scale, the origin and diversification of life on earth, and other concepts such as the national debt, human population growth, etc.
Geologists have just added a new chapter to Earth's lengthy time line, called the geologic time scale.
They discuss fossils in the western Catskills where the geologic time scale is easily viewed at Kaaterskill Falls.
Ancient History (T5) Answer questions about a geologic time scale.
And she thinks they may be no more than a few million years old--still fresh on a geologic time scale."
The difference, according to Stein, is that the two sides of the San Andreas fault move past each other at a speed of about one and a half inches in a year - which is fast on a geologic time scale.
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