Late Cenozoic Ice Age

The Late Cenozoic Ice Age, or Antarctic Glaciation, began 34 million years ago at the Eocene-Oligocene Boundary and is ongoing. It is Earth's current ice age or icehouse period. Its beginning is marked by the formation of the Antarctic ice sheets.

Period	Epoch	Age
Late Cenozoic Ice Age 33.9 million years ago to present Divisions within the current ice age For divisions prior to 33.9 million years ago, see Geologic time scale
↑ Paleogene	Oligocene 33.9 to 23.03 Ma (last epoch of the Paleogene Period)	Rupelian 33.9 to 27.82 Ma
↑ Paleogene		Chattian 27.82 to 23.03 Ma
Neogene	Miocene 23.03 to 5.333 Ma	Aquitanian 23.03 to 20.44 Ma
		Burdigalian 20.44 to 15.97 Ma
		Langhian 15.97 to 13.82 Ma
		Serravallian 13.82 to 11.63 Ma
		Tortonian 11.63 to 7.246 Ma
		Messinian 7.246 to 5.333 Ma
	Pliocene 5.333 to 2.58 Ma	Zanclean 5.333 to 3.6 Ma
	Pliocene 5.333 to 2.58 Ma	Piacenzian 3.6 to 2.58 Ma
Quaternary	Pleistocene 2.58 Ma to 11.7 ka	Gelasian 2.58 to 1.8 Ma
		Calabrian 1.8 Ma to 781 ka
		Middle Pleistocene ("Chibanian") ("Ionian") 781 to 126 ka
		Upper/Late Pleistocene ("Tarantian") 126 to 11.7 ka
	Holocene 11.7 ka to present	Greenlandian 11.7 to 8.2 ka
		Northgrippian 8.2 to 4.2 ka
		Meghalayan 4.2 ka to present
The Late Cenozoic Ice Age falls within the Cenozoic Era which started 66 million years ago. The Cenozoic Era is part of the Phanerozoic Eon which started 541 million years ago. In standard nomenclature the Pleistocene Epoch lasts from 2.58 Ma to 11.7 ka and the Holocene epoch lasts from 11.7 ka to present. However, it is disputed whether these should in fact be treated separately, or whether the "Holocene" is in fact merely a Pleistocene interglacial. See below for details.

Six million years after the start of the Late Cenozoic Ice Age, the East Antarctic Ice Sheet had formed, and 14 million years ago it had reached its current extent.

In the last three million years, glaciations have spread to the northern hemisphere. It commenced with Greenland becoming increasingly covered by an ice sheet in late Pliocene (2.9-2.58 Ma ago) During the Pleistocene Epoch (starting 2.58 Ma ago), the Quaternary glaciation developed with decreasing mean temperatures and increasing amplitudes between glacials and interglacials. During the glacial periods of the Pleistocene, large areas of northern North America and northern Eurasia have been covered by ice sheets.

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[Holocene-4] In standard nomenclature the Pleistocene Epoch lasts from 2.58 Ma to 11.7 ka and the Holocene epoch lasts from 11.7 ka to present. However, it is disputed whether these should in fact be treated separately, or whether the "Holocene" is in fact merely a Pleistocene interglacial. See below for details.