Paléocène

The Paleocene Epoch is a geological epoch that lasted from about 66 to 56 million years ago. It is the first epoch of the Cenozoic Era. The Paleocene began with the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event, which wiped out most of the dinosaurs, and ended with the Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum. The Paleocene was a time of significant change in Earth's history, including the diversification of mammals and the rise of flowering plants.

The Paleocene climate was generally warm and humid, though it fluctuated throughout the epoch. The early Paleocene was characterized by cooler temperatures following the impact event, but temperatures rose steadily over the next several million years. By the late Paleocene, the Earth was significantly warmer than it is today, with no ice caps at the poles. This warming trend culminated in the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum, a rapid and extreme global warming event.

During the Paleocene, continents were still moving towards their present-day positions. Laurasia, the northern supercontinent, began to break apart, while Gondwana, the southern supercontinent, continued to fragment. The Atlantic Ocean was widening, and the Indian subcontinent was moving northwards towards Asia.

Life in the Paleocene was dominated by the recovery and diversification of life following the K-Pg extinction. Mammals, which had been small and relatively insignificant during the Mesozoic Era, underwent a remarkable adaptive radiation. New groups of mammals, such as early primates, ungulates (hoofed mammals), and carnivorans, emerged and began to fill the ecological niches vacated by the dinosaurs. Birds also diversified, with many modern avian groups appearing. Flowering plants continued to evolve and spread, forming diverse forests and shrublands. Marine life also recovered, with the resurgence of coral reefs and the diversification of marine mammals and fish.