Precambrian
Sign in to saveThe 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.
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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
Article
10 sectionsContents
- Overview
- Life forms
- Emergence of life
- Planetary environment and the oxygen catastrophe
- Subdivisions
- Precambrian supercontinents
- See also
- References
- Further reading
- External links
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.
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.