What was the second geological epoch in the Palaeogene?
Q: What was the second geological epoch in the Palaeogene?
A: The Eocene was the second geological epoch in the Palaeogene.
Q: When did the Eocene begin and end?
A: The Eocene began 56 million years ago, and ended 33.9 million years ago.
Q: What preceded and followed the Eocene?
A: Before it was the Palaeocene, and after it was the Oligocene.
Q: How warm was the climate during this period compared to today's climate?
A: The climate during this period was much warmer than today's climate.
Q: What caused a large extinction event at the start of the Eocene?
A: At the start of the Eocene, there was a Palaeocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum which lasted for 100,000 years and caused a large extinction event.
Q: How big were most mammals during this time period?
A: Most mammals during this time period were small, under 10 kg; they were also smaller than both primitive Palaeocene mammals that came before them and mammals that followed them (e.g., Eohippus).
Q: What caused an extinction event at then end of this epoch?
A:The end of this epoch marked an extinction event known asthe Eocence–Oligcene Extinction Event which may have been caused by meteorite strikes in Siberia and Chesapeake Bay.
