Cenozoic geology


65 Million years ago to present. This is known for the type of fossils that appear in the rocks and is the most recent period. This was can be divided into Tertiary and Quaternary divisions The Tertiary is divided into Paleocene, Eocene, Oligocene, Miocene, and Pliocene, the Quaternary is divided into Pleistocene and Holocene. A newer devision uses Paleogene, including the Paleocene through Oligocene, and Neogene Miocene through Holocene)	Sapience Home Site Map About Sapience Science Earth Science Geohistory

65 Million years ago to present. This is known for the type of fossils that appear in the rocks and is the most recent period. This was can be divided into Tertiary and Quaternary divisions The Tertiary is divided into Paleocene, Eocene, Oligocene, Miocene, and Pliocene, the Quaternary is divided into Pleistocene and Holocene. A newer devision uses Paleogene, including the Paleocene through Oligocene, and Neogene Miocene through Holocene)

Paleocene Epoch

65-56 Million years ago. Australia, South america, and Antarctica were joined to form a Gondwana superoontinent; North America,Europe, and Asia formed Laurasia.

Eocene Epoch

56-34 Million years ago. Australia separated from Antarctica. The northern supercontinent of Laurasia began to break up, with North America and Greenland beginnign to separate from Europe. Mountain building began in Western North America. The Tethyis ocean disappared. India began to collide with Asia.

Oligocene Epoch

34- Mountain building in North America and Europe occurred. South America split from Antarctica, opening the circumpolar current and cooling Antartctica to the point where a permanent ice cap developed. African continued to collide with Europe. Climates remained cool.

Miocene Epoch

There was mountain building in North America and Europe. Africa moved northward, narrowing the Tethys seaway. Mountain building in Asia continued along with the India-Asia collision.

Pliocene Epoch

The Panama land bridge formed between North and South America, among other things cutting of oceanic circulation between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Africa collided with Europe, forming the Mediterranean sea from the Tethys Ocean. The land bridge between Alaska and Asia was exposed. Antarctica became ice bound.

Pleistocene Epoch

Approximately 1.805 Million years ago to 11,420 years ago. Horizontal movement of tectonic plates was fairly little, under 100 km. There were 4 major glacial periods, or ice ages, and 3 interglacial perieds.

Holocene Epoch

Approximately 11,430 +/- 130 years (9560-9300 BC) Horizontal movements of tectonic plates is mimimal, however, the melting of ice has elevated sea levels, and the crustal rebound of the earth from the removal of glaciers has caused changes in elevation, especially in the north polar latitudes. It begins late in the reatreat of the Pleistocene glaciation, or at the end of the last ice age. The earth is in an interglacial period. Horizontal movements of tectonic plates are slow.


The history of this subject is not entirely clear, but most developments have been modern. The 16th century, 17th century, 18th century, 19th century, and 20th century can be considered. It is likely to be developed more in the future.	Links to other sites Not yet included.
Sociology including social structure and change, communities, and peoples of the world will be significant. Personal studies including the human body, psychology, and biography are weakly connected. Anthropology including social foundations, demography, physical anthropology, human ecology, human geography, and particular groups may also be connected. Culture including material culture, conceptual culture, and behavioral culture will be useful in study of this period. Institutions including families, education, economics, government, and religion can be connected. This is connected first to other sciences. Physics, chemistry, and astronomy are somewhat useful. This is also connected to other earth sciences including geology, hydrospheric science, atmospheric science, physical geography, and other periods of geohistory, and to biology.

The history of this subject is not entirely clear, but most developments have been modern. The 16th century, 17th century, 18th century, 19th century, and 20th century can be considered. It is likely to be developed more in the future.

Links to other sites
Not yet included.

Sociology including social structure and change, communities, and peoples of the world will be significant.

Personal studies including the human body, psychology, and biography are weakly connected. Anthropology including social foundations, demography, physical anthropology, human ecology, human geography, and particular groups may also be connected. Culture including material culture, conceptual culture, and behavioral culture will be useful in study of this period. Institutions including families, education, economics, government, and religion can be connected.

This is connected first to other sciences. Physics, chemistry, and astronomy are somewhat useful. This is also connected to other earth sciences including geology, hydrospheric science, atmospheric science, physical geography, and other periods of geohistory, and to biology.