Albian

The Albian is an important time period in Earth's history, part of what scientists call the geologic timescale. It was the last and uppermost part of the Early Cretaceous Epoch, which is a way to divide up the layers of rock that tell us about the past. The Albian lasted from about 113.2 million years ago to 100.5 million years ago.

This time period came after the Aptian and was followed by the Cenomanian. During the Albian, the world looked very different from today. The continents were arranged in ways we don’t see now, and many plants and animals that lived back then have left behind fossils that help scientists understand how life has changed over millions of years.

Stratigraphic definitions

The Albian Stage was first proposed in 1842 by Alcide d'Orbigny. It was named after Alba, the Latin name for River Aube in France.

A Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point defines the base of the Albian. The top of the Albian Stage is defined by the first appearance of a specific foram species in the stratigraphic column. The Albian is sometimes divided into smaller parts, and in western Europe, especially in the United Kingdom, it is often split into two substages.

Examples

The Albian period produced many interesting sedimentary rocks. In France, you can find phosphorite beds in the Argonne and Bray areas. In northern Germany, there is a special rock called Flammenmergel. In Spain, the town of Utrillas has lignites. North America has the Upper Nubian Sandstones and the Fredericksburg beds.

Climate

During the Albian time period, the region that is now the Liupanshan Basin in China experienced changes in its weather. The area became increasingly hotter and drier as time went on. This shift in climate affected the environment and the plants and animals living there.

Main article: Aptian-Albian Cold Snap