A mya, which stands for million years ago, is a commonly used unit of time in fields such as astronomy, geology, and paleontology. It is used to denote a length of time before the present, specifically before AD 1950. One mya is equal to 1 million years ago or 106 years ago.
To put this into perspective, let’s consider some examples. Dinosaurs went extinct approximately 65 million years ago, so we would say they went extinct around 65 mya. This helps us understand the vast time span between the present and the era of dinosaurs.
In terms of geological processes, the formation of the Grand Canyon is estimated to have started around 6 mya. This means that the carving of the canyon began 6 million years ago and took place over a considerable period of time.
When discussing the history of the Earth, scientists often refer to events that occurred millions of years ago. For instance, the Permian-Triassic extinction event, which wiped out approximately 96% of marine species and 70% of terrestrial vertebrate species, happened around 252 mya. This event marked a significant turning point in the history of life on Earth.
It is important to note that the concept of mya is based on scientific dating methods and is used to establish a chronological framework for studying the evolution of various species, geological formations, and astronomical phenomena. By using this unit of time, scientists can better understand the sequence of events and the timeline of Earth’s history.
A mya represents a million years ago and is commonly used in astronomy, geology, and paleontology to refer to events and processes that occurred in the distant past. It allows scientists to establish a timeline and gain insights into the evolution of life on Earth, the formation of geological features, and the history of the universe.