Ice Age Europe

During the Ice Age in Europe, large parts of the continent were covered by vast ice sheets and glaciers, significantly altering the landscape. Temperatures were much colder, and many areas that are now temperate were tundra or steppe environments. This period lasted from about 2.6 million years ago until roughly 11,700 years ago, with colder glacial periods interspersed with warmer, interglacial phases. Ice Age Europe saw the migration of early humans and megafauna, with glaciers shaping valleys, mountains, and coastlines. The most recent glacial period, called the Last Glacial Maximum, peaked around 20,000 years ago, creating landscapes and ecosystems drastically different from today.