Ice Age (period)

The Ice Age refers to several periods in Earth's history when large parts of the planet were covered by ice sheets and glaciers. The most recent Ice Age, known as the Pleistocene Epoch, lasted from about 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago. During this time, temperatures were much cooler, and animals like mammoths and saber-toothed cats roamed the Earth. As the climate warmed, the ice retreated, leading to the environments we know today. The Ice Age significantly influenced the evolution of species and the development of human civilizations.