Neogene
Sign in to saveThe Neogene ( ) is a geologic period and system that spans 20.45 million years from the end of the Paleogene Period Ma (million years ago) to the beginning of the present Quaternary Period Ma. It is the second period of the Cenozoic and the eleventh period of the Phanerozoic. The Neogene is sub-divided into two epochs, the earlier Miocene and the later Pliocene. Some geologists assert that the Neogene cannot be clearly delineated from the modern geological period, the Quaternary. The term "Neogene" was coined in 1853 by the Austrian palaeontologist Moritz Hörnes (1815–1868). The earlier term T
AI overview
The Neogene is a geological period spanning roughly 20 million years that falls between the Paleogene Period and today's Quaternary Period, divided into two main epochs called the Miocene and Pliocene. It matters because studying this relatively recent chapter of Earth's history helps us understand how modern landscapes, climates, and life forms developed, though some geologists debate where its boundaries clearly end and the present day begins.
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Key facts
- Geologic timespan.name
- Neogene
- Geologic timespan.color
- Neogene
- Geologic timespan.time_start
- 23.04
- Geologic timespan.time_end
- 2.58
- Geologic timespan.image_map
- Mollweide Paleographic Map of Earth, 15 Ma (Langhian Age).png
- Geologic timespan.caption_map
- A map of Earth as it appeared 15 million years ago during the Neogene Period, Miocene Epoch
- Geologic timespan.timeline
- Neogene
- Geologic timespan.name_formality
- Formal
- Geologic timespan.celestial_body
- earth
- Geologic timespan.usage
- Global (ICS)
- Geologic timespan.timescales_used
- ICS Time Scale
- Geologic timespan.chrono_unit
Article
7 sectionsContents
- Divisions
- Paleogeography
- Climate
- Flora and fauna
- Disagreements
- References
- External links
The Neogene ( ) is a geologic period and system that spans 20.45 million years from the end of the Paleogene Period Ma (million years ago) to the beginning of the present Quaternary Period Ma. It is the second period of the Cenozoic and the eleventh period of the Phanerozoic. The Neogene is sub-divided into two epochs, the earlier Miocene and the later Pliocene. Some geologists assert that the Neogene cannot be clearly delineated from the modern geological period, the Quaternary. The term "Neogene" was coined in 1853 by the Austrian palaeontologist Moritz Hörnes (1815–1868). The earlier term Tertiary Period was used to define the span of time now covered by Paleogene and Neogene and, despite no longer being recognized as a formal stratigraphic term, "Tertiary" still sometimes remains in informal use.
During this period, mammals and birds continued to evolve into modern forms, while other groups of life remained relatively unchanged. The first humans (Homo habilis) appeared in Africa near the end of the period. Some continental movements took place, the most significant event being the connection of North and South America at the Isthmus of Panama, late in the Pliocene. This cut off the warm ocean currents from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean, leaving only the Gulf Stream to transfer heat to the Arctic Ocean. The global climate cooled considerably throughout the Neogene, culminating in a series of continental glaciations in the Quaternary Period that followed.