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Gorstian

Adapted from Wikipedia · Adventurer experience

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The Gorstian is a special time in Earth's long history. It is part of the Ludlow Epoch during the Silurian Period of the Paleozoic Era. This time started about 426.7 million years ago and ended around 425.0 million years ago.

The Gorstian came after the Homerian Age and was followed by the Ludfordian Age. The name comes from a village named Gorsty, close to the town of Ludlow. Scientists learn about when the Gorstian began by looking for a special fossil called Saetograptus (Colonograptus) varians.

The main place where scientists study rocks from this time is a quarry in Shropshire, United Kingdom. There, in the Elton Formation at Pitch Coppice, they find important clues about Earth from millions of years ago.

Images

An ancient map showing how the lands of Asia were arranged millions of years ago.
A colorful spiral diagram showing the geological time scale, helping us understand Earth's history over millions of years.
A diagram showing the layers of rock in the Williston Basin, helping us learn about Earth's history.

Related articles

Ludlow Epoch
Silurian
Geologic period
Paleozoic
Geologic era
Homerian

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

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