when was the cenozoic era

The Cenozoic Era began approximately 66 million years ago and continues to the present day. It started after the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event, which wiped out many species including non-avian dinosaurs. This era is characterized by the dominance of mammals, birds, insects, and flowering plants, and it is divided into three periods: the Paleogene (66 million to 23 million years ago), the Neogene (23 million to 2.6 million years ago), and the Quaternary (2.6 million years ago to today).