The Quaternary is the current geological period. It is the most recent of the three periods of the Cainozoic era. The Quaternary follows the Neogene, which is the second period of the Cainozoic.

The woolly mammoth is an animal that lived in the Quaternary. It illustrates the generally cold climate of the period.

The Quaternary began about 2.6 million years ago, and continues today. A great deal of information is considered when geologists discuss the timing of periods. The status of the Quaternary as a period is confirmed by the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS).