GEOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -The Quaternary Period is the third and last of the three periods of the Cenozoic Era . You and I are living in this period, which began only 2.58 million years ago. This is less than 0.1% of all of geologic time! A thin layer of sediments deposited during the Quaternary covers much of the Earth’s land surface.

Detailed explanation-2: -The quaternary period began 2.6 million years ago and extends into the present. Climate change and the developments it spurs carry the narrative of the Quaternary, the most recent 2.6 million years of Earth’s history. Glaciers advance from the Poles and then retreat, carving and molding the land with each pulse.

Detailed explanation-3: -The Quaternary is a subdivision of geological time (the Quaternary Period) which covers the last 2.6 million years up to the present day. The Quaternary and the Tertiary Periods together form the Cenozoic Era.

Detailed explanation-4: -The Quaternary (/kwəˈtɜːrnəri, ˈkwɒtərnɛri/ kwə-TUR-nə-ree, KWOT-ər-nerr-ee) is the current and most recent of the three periods of the Cenozoic Era in the geologic time scale of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS). It follows the Neogene Period and spans from 2.58 million years ago to the present.

Detailed explanation-5: -It is named after the Latin word “quatern” (four at a time). The several geologic eras were originally named Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, and Quaternary. The first two names are no longer used. Tertiary and Quaternary have been retained but used as period designations.