Neogene Period

23–2.6 Million Years Ago

The Neogene saw the spread of grasslands across continents, driving the evolution of grazing mammals with specialized teeth and running adaptations. Horses, cattle, and elephants evolved toward their modern forms. The first hominins — our earliest bipedal ancestors — appeared in Africa around 7 million years ago. The climate continued cooling, setting the stage for Pleistocene glaciations.