  Timescales in astronomy comprise the largest range of any scientific
discipline. In the construction of physical models, this circumstance may both
be a blessing and a curse. For example, galaxy evolution occurs on typical
timescales of hundreds of millions of years, but is affected by atomic
processes on sub-second timescales, posing a challenge in analytical and, in
particular, in numerical models. On the other hand, the vast dynamic range
implies that we can often make meaningful predictions by simply comparing
characteristic timescales of the physical processes involved. This review,
aimed primarily at non-astronomer scientists, attempts to highlight some
occasions in the context of galaxy formation and evolution in which comparing
timescales can shed light on astrophysical phenomena, as well as some of the
challenges that may be encountered. In particular we will explore the
differences and similarities between theoretical predictions of dark matter
halos, and the observed distribution of galaxies. The review concludes with an
account of the most recent observations with the James Webb Space Telescope,
and how they purportedly seem to defy the timescales of the currently accepted
concordance model of the structure and evolution of the Universe, the
{\Lambda}CDM model.
