What is an Era?

Understanding Eras

An era is a significant span of geologic or historical time, subdivided into smaller intervals like periods and epochs. In the context of Earth's history, example eras include the Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic. In cosmic history, following the Big Bang, the Quark Era followed the Planck Epoch, Grand Unification Epoch, Inflationary Epoch, and Electroweak Epoch.

Explanation of Eras

An era is a significant unit of geological time. It is a large division of the Earth's geologic time scale that is further divided into periods, epochs, and ages. For example, the Phanerozoic Eon, which is the current eon we are in, is divided into three eras: the Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic. Each of these eras represents a significant time span characterized by distinct developments and forms of life. In a different context, scholars also use the term 'era' to describe periods within human history, such as the different eras of ancient Egypt's chronology.

When referring to eras in the context of the early universe post-Big Bang, eras such as the Quark Era and the Inflationary Epoch are mentioned. Following the chronological order from the Big Bang, the correct sequence is: Planck Epoch, Grand Unification Epoch, Inflationary Epoch, Electroweak Epoch, and the Quark Era. This sequence helps us understand how the early universe evolved over time.