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Era 4: The Cenozoic Era

  • Paleogene Period (66.0 to 23.0 MYA) The “Age of Mammals” - was in its infancy 

  • Two subgroups of birds emerged including the flightless birds and the flying birds (which had many types). 

  • Neogene Period (23.0 to 2.58 MYA) The Hominidae family emerged which is a critical branch in the evolutionary family tree leading to humans (homo sapiens sapiens) 

  • A common ancestor shared by both modern humans and apes thrived in the Neogene Period but is now extinct. 

  • Quaternary Period (2.58 MYA to Today) Modern Humans (Homo Sapien Sapiens) developed advanced and highly detailed artwork using specific materials for the time. 

  • Large mammals went extinct, although scientists don’t know exactly why. They hypothesize that the large mammals were hunted down by the humans and perhaps climate changes hurt the large mammals as well.

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