the.com/deep time
the realization that geology, not your calendar, keeps the real clock.
means deep time is the vast, near-incomprehensible timescale of earth's history, measured in millions and billions of years rather than human lifespans.
from coined in spirit by 18th-century scottish geologist james hutton, who stared at rock layers and saw no sign of a beginning, no prospect of an end; writer john mcphee later popularized the phrase itself in 1981.
hutton's insightrock strata implied earth was ancient, not 6000 years old
human scaleall of recorded history fits in one geologic blink
comparison trickcompress earth's age into a year, humans arrive dec 31
still growingthe grand canyon is still being carved by deep time