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Era

Cretaceous

kri-TAY-shus
Phanerozoic

The last period of the Mesozoic, the longest period of the Phanerozoic, and the setting for the asteroid strike that ended the non-avian dinosaurs and closed the era. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Facts
Rank
Period 1
Start (Million Years Ago)
143.1 1
Cited article gives 143.1 plus or minus 0.6 Mya.
End (Million Years Ago)
66 1
Key Event
The Chicxulub impact and the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction, ending the period and the Mesozoic era together. 1
Connections

Anticipated By

Jurassic, Eras

Associated With

Cretaceous-Paleogene Extinction Event, Phenomena
Source Cretaceous-Paleogene Extinction Event (Wikipedia)

Caused By

Chicxulub Impact, Phenomena

The impact is the primary accepted cause of the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction that ends this period.

Source Chicxulub Crater (Wikipedia)

Has Geologic Rank

Geologic Period, Concepts

In Discipline

Geochronology, Disciplines
Source Geologic Time Scale (Wikipedia)
Sources
1. Geologic Time Scale (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationView the Source
Cretaceous-Paleogene Extinction Event (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: Cretaceous-Paleogene Extinction EventView the Source
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