Eocène

The Eocene is an epoch of the Paleogene Period, spanning from approximately 56 million to 33.9 million years ago. It is the second epoch of the Paleogene, following the Paleocene and preceding the Oligocene. The Eocene was a time of significant climatic and geological change, as well as the diversification of many modern mammal groups.

At the beginning of the Eocene, global temperatures were very high, a period known as the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum, or PETM. This warming event led to the migration of many species towards the poles. Following this peak, temperatures gradually began to decline throughout the Eocene, culminating in the formation of the Antarctic ice sheet towards the end of the epoch. Geologically, the Eocene saw continued continental drift, with the separation of South America from Antarctica and the northward movement of India towards Asia, a collision that would eventually form the Himalayas.

The Eocene is particularly notable for the rapid evolution and radiation of mammals. With the extinction of the non-avian dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous period, mammals, which had previously been small and nocturnal, began to diversify into a wide array of forms. This era saw the emergence of early hoofed mammals, whales, bats, and primates. Plant life also continued to evolve, with the spread of flowering plants and the formation of new forest ecosystems. The Eocene ended with a significant global cooling event, the Eocene-Oligocene Transition, which led to widespread extinctions and reshaped terrestrial ecosystems.