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Era of Cenozoic
Cenozoic is the current era following the mass extinction of dinosaurs in preceding Mesozoic Era. It began 66 million years ago and lasts until the present day. Cenozoic Era is divided into three periods: Paleogene, Neogene and Anthropogene (Quaternary).
The continents shaped known configuration and geographic positioning during Cenozoic. North and South America consolidated, Australia and New Guinea drifted to South-east Asia having split from Gondwana, which finally broke-up. Antarctica remained centred on the South Pole and extremely cooled. The Mediterranean mountains and Pacific region mountain ranges and islands showed up. Large mineral deposits such as oil, gold and gas were also formed. Flora and fauna evolved toward present known. Thus, grasses began to spread, coniferous, broad-leaves forests and flowering plants blossomed, banana and breadfruit trees sprouted, savanna and prairie areas expanded. Various insects population increased, new birds species emerged, living horses and cats ancestors grew in numbers, corals and mussels grew in the seas all over the Earth.
Cenozoic climate cycles that changed from warm to extremely cold eventually leading to mass extinction of such species as woolly mammoths and saber-toothed cats (smilodons). This period also gave boost to placental mammals such as primates. Cenozoic era was marked by the first sapient life presented by humans whose activity, including anthropogenic environment impact, continues to change the life of modern-day Earth until now.
