The Mesozoic Era

The Mesozoic Era, spanning about 180 million years, is known as the Age of Reptiles. It follows the Paleozoic Era and precedes the Cenozoic. During this time, Earth’s continents gradually drifted apart, creating diverse environments. Dinosaurs emerged and became dominant land animals, while the seas teemed with marine reptiles and early ancestors of birds. The era saw the rise of gymnosperms like conifers and ended with a mass extinction, likely caused by a massive asteroid impact, which wiped out the dinosaurs and many other species. The Mesozoic laid the groundwork for the modern world’s ecosystems.