The Earth has lived through seven epochs during the Cenozoic, but some scientists believe human impact has triggered a new epoch, the Anthropocene. This remains controversial. An epoch is a division of time characterized by a prevailing set of conditions on Earth. So far, during the Cenozoic, the Earth has lived through seven epochs: Paleocene, […]
The Miocene epoch, spanning from 23.03 to 5.33 million years ago, was dominated by grasses and had similar flora and fauna to today. The separation of South America from Antarctica caused extreme cooling, leading to continental-wide glaciation. South America and Australia developed unique fauna, but many became extinct when North America merged with South America. […]
The Eocene epoch, 55.8 to 33.9 million years ago, was a time when mammals diversified and occupied most niches. The climate was mild, with tropical conditions extending up to 45 degrees from the equator. Antarctica was still connected to South America, and much of Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia were inundated. The Eocene […]
