The Great Ice Age

The Great Ice Age, also known as the Pleistocene Epoch, spanned from about 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago. During this time, large parts of the Earth were covered by massive ice sheets, affecting global climates and ecosystems. It led to the extinction of many large mammals, like mammoths and saber-toothed cats, while shaping landscapes through glacial movement. This period also saw the development of early human cultures, with hunter-gatherer societies adapting to changing environments. The end of the Ice Age marked the beginning of the Holocene, leading to warmer climates and the rise of agriculture and civilization.