Question

Which of the following shows the correct era, period, and epoch for the time we are in at the present?

a) Cenozoic Era, Quaternary Period, Holocene Epoch
b) Mesozoic Era, Jurassic Period, Cretaceous Epoch
c) Paleozoic Era, Devonian Period, Carboniferous Epoch
d) None of the above

Answer 1

The correct era, period, and epoch for the present time are the Cenozoic Era, Quaternary Period, and Holocene Epoch (option a). The Cenozoic Era is characterized by the evolution of mammals, while the Quaternary Period included the last ice age, which ended about 12,000 years ago.

Step-by-step explanation:

The era, period, and epoch for the time we are currently in are the Cenozoic Era, the Quaternary Period, and the Holocene Epoch, which is option (a). The Cenozoic Era is known as the age of mammals, which have evolved to occupy various ecological niches.

The Quaternary Period marks the most recent and current period in the Cenozoic era and encompasses the last 2.588 million years to the present. During this time, the last ice age ended approximately 12,000 years ago, which is also when Homo sapiens had evolved. The current epoch, the Holocene Epoch, began after the ice age and continues to present day.