The Cenozoic

In this table, M stands for Million (years). The present time is at the top of the table, ancient time is at the bottom of the table.
where the continents were Approximate age (in years) subdivision Approximate duration (in years) notes

today

QUATERNARY 10,000
2 M		 HOLOCENE
PLEISTOCENE		 10,000
2 M		 first appearance of Homosapiens, 4 ice ages

Earth, 60 M ago

TERTIARY 5 M
24 M
37 M
57 M
66 M		 PLIOCENE
MIOCENE
OLIGOCENE
EOCENE
PALEOCENE		 3 M
19 M
13 M
20 M
9 M		 at the beginning of the Eocene period the Earth was very hot, with palm trees and alligators at the north pole, but cooled down by the start of the Quarternary. This period relates to today's concern about global warming.

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The Cenozoic

In this table, M stands for Million (years). The present time is towards the right side of the table, ancient time is at the left side of the table.

where the continents were
subdivision name TERTIARY
era PALEOCENE EOCENE OLIGOCENE MIOCENE PLIOCENE
began 66 M ago 57 M ago 37 M 24 M ago 5 M ago
lasted 9 M 20 M 13 M 19 M 3 M
at the beginning of the Eocene period the Earth was very hot, with palm trees and alligators at the north pole, but cooled down by the start of the Quarternary. This period relates to today's concern about global warming.
subdivision name QUATERNARY
era PLEISTOCENE HOLOCENE
began 2 M ago 10,000 ago
lasted 2 M --
first appearance of Homosapiens, 4 ice ages

"Return to Geologic Time main map"

"Return to Life on other Planets?"

Return to Earth's Surface & Interior


The Cenozoic

In this table, M stands for Million (years). The present time is at the top of the table, ancient time is at the bottom of the table.
where the continents were Approximate age (in years) subdivision Approximate duration (in years) notes

today

QUATERNARY 10,000
2 M		 HOLOCENE
PLEISTOCENE		 10,000
2 M		 first appearance of Homosapiens, 4 ice ages

Earth, 60 M ago

TERTIARY 5 M
24 M
37 M
57 M
66 M		 PLIOCENE
MIOCENE
OLIGOCENE
EOCENE
PALEOCENE		 3 M
19 M
13 M
20 M
9 M		 at the beginning of the Eocene period the Earth was very hot, with palm trees and alligators at the north pole, but cooled down by the start of the Quarternary. This period relates to today's concern about global warming.

"Return to Geologic Time main map"

"Return to Life on other Planets?"

Return to Earth's Surface & Interior





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