BY LETTER
Cenozoic Era
According to some authorities, the era in Old Earth's geologic history from 65 million years ago to the present; according to others, the period from 65 million years ago until the Great Expulsion. It was preceded by the Mesozoic, and followed according to some by the Gaiazoic. During this time Old Earth took on its "modern" aspect; it is sometimes called the "Age of Mammals".
This era saw the emergence of modern mammals, birds, vegetation (especially grasses), the modern look of the continents, and (after an early warm period) a cooling climate. It is divided into the Paleogene and the Neogene periods according to some authorities. Others prefer to mark of the most recent years, including the Pleistocene, Holocene, and Gaiacene epochs, as a third period, called the Quaternary.
This era saw the emergence of modern mammals, birds, vegetation (especially grasses), the modern look of the continents, and (after an early warm period) a cooling climate. It is divided into the Paleogene and the Neogene periods according to some authorities. Others prefer to mark of the most recent years, including the Pleistocene, Holocene, and Gaiacene epochs, as a third period, called the Quaternary.
Related Articles
- Eocene Epoch
- Gaiacene Epoch - Text by Stephen Inniss
A term used to designate the new geological epoch and ice age on Old Earth from the Technocalypse and the Great Expulsion onwards. Preceded by the Holocene. - Gaiozoic Era - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Used to designate the geological period on Earth from the Great Expulsion onwards. Some prefer to imply a shorter time span, given the implications of the Fermi Paradox, and refer to this period as the Gaiacene Epoch. - Holocene Epoch - Text by M. Alan Kazlev and Stephen Inniss
On Old Earth the Holocene ("entirely recent") is the most recent but one epoch in geologic time, lasting from about 12,000 BT (10,000 b.c.e.) to the Great Expulsion. This brief span of time from the birth of agriculture until the end of human baseline dominance on the species' home planet was the Golden Age according to most Anthropist sects. It was preceded by the Pleistocene and succeeded by the Gaiacene. - Mesozoic Era
- Miocene Epoch
- Neogene Period
- Oligocene Epoch
- Paleocene Epoch
- Paleogene Period - Text by Stephen Inniss
In Old Earth paleontology and geology, the first period of the Cenozoic, stretching from 65 to 23 million years before the present and containing the Paleocene, Eocene and Oligocene epochs. It was followed by the Neogene. The Muuh and the Soft Ones established interstellar civilizations during this period, and though there are ruins of Muuh origin on Titan there is no evidence they ever interacted with Earth life and the modern Muuh have no record of any connection with Solsys at all. - Pliocene Epoch
- Quaternary Period - Text by Stephen Inniss
On Old Earth the third period (or second according to some) of the Cenozoic Era on Old Earth beginning 2.8 million years ago. It follows the Neogene (or according to some divisions the Tertiary) period, and consists of the Pleistocene, Holocene, and Gaiacene epochs. - Tertiary Period
Appears in Topics
Development Notes
Text by Stephen Inniss, after the original by M. Alan Kazlev
Initially published on 24 September 2001.
Initially published on 24 September 2001.
