Decoding the Timeline: Geologic History of NYS

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Across
  1. 2. The current geologic epoch, which began approximately 0.01 million (11,700) years ago.
  2. 6. The "Super Eon" that represents about 88% of Earth's history, ending roughly 539 million years ago.
  3. 7. The orogeny caused by the collision of a volcanic island arc with North America during the Ordovician period.
  4. 10. The massive supercontinent that began to break up during the Early Jurassic period.
  5. 11. The ancient ocean that closed during the Taconian Orogeny.
  6. 15. A major biological event marking the end of the Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Devonian times, causing the disappearance of many species.
  7. 16. The geologic era that includes the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods; often called the "Age of Reptiles."
  8. 17. Marine arthropods (e.g., Elliptocephala) that were dominant in the Cambrian but went extinct by the end of the Permian.
  9. 18. The geologic period known as the "Age of Fishes" which accounts for much of the bedrock in southern New York.
Down
  1. 1. The orogeny caused by the collision of North America and Africa/Europe, forming the Pangaean mountains.
  2. 3. New York State’s official fossil (Eurypterus), which was abundant during the Silurian period.
  3. 4. The time span often divided into the Mississippian and Pennsylvanian periods; typically associated with vast coal-forming swamps.
  4. 5. The period during which the Palisades Sill intrusion occurred.
  5. 8. The current geologic era, which includes the evolution of many modern mammal groups and humans.
  6. 9. The first period of the Paleozoic Era, marked by an explosion of marine life.
  7. 12. The period associated with extensive salt and gypsum deposition in New York State.
  8. 13. The ancient orogeny (~1.3 billion years ago) responsible for the metamorphism of the Adirondack Mountains bedrock.
  9. 14. The epoch featuring the advance and retreat of the last continental ice sheets (glaciers) across New York.