Pliocene to Pleistocene
5.3 million years ago to 11,700 years ago
The Pliocene and Pleistocene together represent the final chapter of natural history before the modern era. Early humans evolved, the ice ages reshaped continents, and a spectacular array of large mammals lived alongside our ancestors before most went extinct.
Fun Facts
- âThe climate shifted dramatically between the Pliocene and Pleistocene, triggering the major ice ages.
- âSaber-toothed cats, mammoths, and giant ground sloths were among the iconic animals of this interval.
- âEarly humans crossed into the Americas during the late Pleistocene, possibly contributing to the extinction of ice age megafauna.