The next generation of the Geological Time Scale (GTS), the main scientific objective of our network, will be instrumental to help understanding critical issues in Earth history. It is clear that the next generation GTS will be instrumental to help solving such outstanding and important issues in Earth System science. In fact, the GTS can even be used to resolve the degree of chaotic behaviour of the Solar System. The GTSnext proposal aims to develop scientific capacity through the interaction of several PhD students and PostDocs to intercalibrate radiometric dating and astronomical tuning approaches for the Neogene (“forging the tool”), the Paleogene (“applying the tool”) and the Cretaceous (“extending the tool”), all under the common aspect of improving and understanding fundamental aspects of time scale calibration.