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Ectasian

Adapted from Wikipedia · Explorer experience

A stunning view of Earth from space, taken by astronauts during the Apollo 17 mission.

The Ectasian Period

The Ectasian Period is an old time in Earth's history. It was a special time that happened a very long time ago, from 1400 million years ago to 1200 million years ago.

What Happened

During the Ectasian Period, the layers on Earth's surface grew thicker. Scientists use special tools to learn exactly when this time happened. They study rocks and layers to understand more.

Fun Facts

A day on Earth was much shorter back then! In the early part of the Ectasian Period, a day was only 17 hours and 32 minutes long. By the end, it had grown a little longer to 18 hours and 28 minutes.

Earth's Land

A huge landmass called Columbia was together at the start of this time. Near a place called Laurentia, the land began to pull apart. This helped change the shape of Earth long ago.

Scientists found tiny fossils from this time. These tiny plants help us learn about life on Earth from very long ago.

Images

A map showing how the Earth's continents were arranged 1.26 billion years ago during the Ectasian period.
Map showing the position of the North China Craton in the ancient Columbia supercontinent.
A diagram showing the layers of rock in the Williston Basin, helping us learn about Earth's history.

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Ectasian, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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