Which era do we live in

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You cannot download interactives. Extinction is the complete disappearance of a species from Earth. Species go extinct every year, but historically the average rate of extinction has been very slow with a few exceptions.

The fossil record reveals five uniquely large mass extinction events during which significant events such as asteroid strikes and volcanic eruptions caused widespread extinctions over relatively short periods of time. Some scientists think we might have entered our sixth mass extinction event driven largely by human activity.

Our planet is dependent on an interconnected system. If we lose one species, how does that impact the whole system? What if we lose hundreds? Help your students understand the gravity of extinction with these classroom resources. It's a new name for a new geologic epoch-one defined by our own massive impact on the planet. Homo sapiens, the first modern humans, evolved from their early hominid predecessors between , and , years ago.

They developed a capacity for language about 50, years ago. The first modern humans began moving outside of Africa starting about 70,, years ago. Agriculture, urbanisation, deforestation and pollution have caused extraordinary changes on Earth. Geologists disagree over whether humans will have a lasting and meaningful impact on the chemical composition of the rocks and fossils beneath our feet.

This is what will need to be proven to declare a new epoch. Beginning of the Meghalayan age, the current and latest of the three stages in the Holocene era. Geological era The next-larger division of geologic time is the eon.

The Phanerozoic Eon, for example, is subdivided into eras. Prehistory is divided in two periods: the Palaeolithic and the Neolithic. Life was harsh, with a limited diet and little comfort. Women were subordinate to men, in both the peasant and noble classes, and were expected to ensure the smooth running of the household.

There were many reasons for its power. First, people during the Middle Ages were very religious. Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search. Press ESC to cancel. Skip to content Home What time period do we live in?

Ben Davis May 14, What time period do we live in?