A Global boundary Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP, known colloquially as a “golden spike” from railroad history) is a single point defined in a designated geological section that serves to define the base of a unit (a boundary) within the … Continue reading →

This page lists the definitions of the major global stratigraphic divisions of the Quaternary System/Period. A brief history of the definitions of the Quaternary and Pleistocene is provided first, then a synopsis of GSSPs sanctioned to define the Quaternary and … Continue reading →

The SQS currently has three Working Groups: The Anthropocene Working Group (AWG) was established in June 2009 to examine the possibility of recognising an Anthropocene division either within the Holocene or separated from it. A formal proposal was submitted to … Continue reading →