Convert Microcenturies to Megayears
Convert Microcenturies (µcy) to Megayears (Ma) instantly and accurately.
Conversion Formula
Ma = µcy × 1.000020534e-10
About Microcenturies
A microcentury (µcy) = 10⁻⁶ of a Julian century = 3,155.76 s ≈ 52 min 35.76 s. Popularised by Richard Feynman, who told audiences a one-hour lecture was 'approximately one microcentury'. An 87-minute film ≈ 1.65 microcenturies. No formal SI recognition, but a favourite pedagogical example of SI prefixes applied to large bases. 1 µcy = 3,155.76 s = 52.596 min.
About Megayears
A megayear (1 Ma) = 10⁶ yr ≈ 3.156 × 10¹³ s - the timescale of geology and tectonic evolution. The K-Pg mass extinction at 66.0 Ma; Cambrian explosion ~538.8 Ma; Great Oxygenation Event ~2,400 Ma. Plate motion at 2-10 cm/yr = 200-1,000 km per Ma (Atlantic ~3,000 km wider since Pangaea rifting ~200 Ma ago). Background extinction rate measured in extinctions per million species-years. 1 Ma = 10⁶ yr.
Quick Reference Table
| Microcenturies (µcy) | Megayears (Ma) |
|---|---|
| 1 µcy | 1 × 10-10 Ma |
| 2 µcy | 2 × 10-10 Ma |
| 5 µcy | 5 × 10-10 Ma |
| 10 µcy | 1 × 10-9 Ma |
| 25 µcy | 2.5 × 10-9 Ma |
| 50 µcy | 5 × 10-9 Ma |
| 100 µcy | 1 × 10-8 Ma |