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Precambrian

Also known as Precambrian Supereon

The Precambrian ( ; pre-Cambrian, or Cryptozoic, sometimes abbreviated pꞒ or PreꞒ) is the earliest part of Earth's history, set before the current Phanerozoic Eon. The Precambrian is so named because it preceded the Cambrian, the first period of the Phanerozoic Eon, which is named after Cambria, the Latinized name for Wales, where rocks from this age were first studied. The Precambrian accounts for 88% of the Earth's geologic time.

AI overview

The Precambrian is the earliest part of Earth's history, lasting from the planet's formation until just before the Cambrian period began, and it makes up about 88% of all geologic time. It's named "Precambrian" simply because it came before the Cambrian period, whose rocks were first studied in Wales.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Key facts

Geologic timespan.name: Precambrian
Geologic timespan.color: Precambrian
Geologic timespan.top_bar: all time
Geologic timespan.timeline: Eons
Geologic timespan.proposed_subdivision1: See Proposed Precambrian timeline
Geologic timespan.synonym1: Cryptozoic
Geologic timespan.celestial_body: earth
Geologic timespan.usage: Global (ICS)
Geologic timespan.timescales_used: ICS Time Scale
Geologic timespan.chrono_unit: supereon
Geologic timespan.strat_unit: supereonothem
Geologic timespan.timespan_formality: Informal
Geologic timespan.lower_boundary_def: Formation of the Earth
Geologic timespan.upper_boundary_def: Appearance of the Ichnofossil Treptichnus pedum
Geologic timespan.upper_gssp_location: Fortune Head section, Newfoundland, Canada

via Wikipedia infobox

Wikidata facts

Image: Temagami greenstone belt pillow lava.jpg

Show 4 more facts

sRGB color hex triplet: F74370
start time: 4567000000
end time: 538800000-
Commons category: Precambrian

Sources (5)

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~11 min read

Article

10 sections

Contents

Overview
Life forms
Emergence of life
Planetary environment and the oxygen catastrophe
Subdivisions
Precambrian supercontinents
See also
References
Further reading
External links

The Precambrian is an informal unit of geologic time, subdivided into three eons (Hadean, Archean, Proterozoic) of the geologic time scale. It spans from the formation of Earth about 4.6 billion years ago (Ga) to the beginning of the Cambrian Period, about million years ago (Ma), when hard-shelled creatures first appeared in abundance.