- Cenozoic (Wikipedia)
The Cenozoic (/ˌsiːnəˈzoʊ.ɪk, ˌsɛn-/ SEE-nə-ZOH-ik, SEN-ə-; lit. ’new life’) is Earth’s current geological era, representing the last 66 million years of Earth’s history. It is characterised by the dominance of mammals and angiosperms (flowering plants). It is the latest of three geological eras, preceded by the Mesozoic and Paleozoic. The Cenozoic started with the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event, when many species, including the non-avian dinosaurs, became extinct in an event attributed by most experts to the impact of a large asteroid or other celestial body, the Chicxulub impactor.
- Cretaceous (Wikipedia)
The Cretaceous (IPA: /krɪˈteɪʃəs/ krih-TAY-shəs) is a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 79 million years, it is the longest geological period of the entire Phanerozoic. The name is derived from the Latin creta, “chalk”, which is abundant in the latter half of the period. It is usually abbreviated K, for its German translation Kreide.