In November it was reported that a stratum (layer of rock) in Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture may be named “Chibanian.” In Latin Chibanian means “Chiba Age,” and it represents the geological time period from 770,000 to 126,000 years ago. The reversal of the Earth’s magnetic fields is believed to have occurred 11 times in the past 3,600,000 years. Chibanian is said to be when the last reversal of the Earth’s magnetic field occurred. Just as with the Jurassic and Cretaceous ages, a Japanese place name may become a designated geological age.