What is the current era in the geologic time scale?

The current era in the geologic time scale is the Cenozoic Era. It began about 66 million years ago after the Cretaceous–Paleogene mass extinction and continues to the present day.

The Cenozoic is the third and most recent era of the Phanerozoic Eon, following the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras. It is often called the “Age of Mammals” because mammals diversified dramatically after the extinction of the non-avian dinosaurs, although birds, insects, and flowering plants also became highly successful.

The Cenozoic is divided into three periods: the Paleogene, Neogene, and Quaternary. The Quaternary is the current period, beginning about 2.58 million years ago; within it, the Holocene is the current epoch. This distinction causes a common mix-up: Cenozoic is the era, Quaternary is the period, and Holocene is the epoch.

During the Cenozoic, continents moved toward their present positions. India collided with Asia, helping form the Himalayas, while the Isthmus of Panama later connected North and South America. The era also included major cooling, ice ages, and the evolution of modern ecosystems.