Part 2/11:
The Ice Age refers to a period of significant climatic cooling that began approximately 2.4 million years ago and continued until about 11,000 years ago. During this time, global temperatures dropped by approximately 5 to 6°C (10 to 11°F), leading to lowered sea levels and extensive glacier formation. This not only altered the landscape but also catalyzed the emergence of the mammoth steppe, a cold and dry grassland that facilitated the evolution of large, megafauna adapted to the harsh climate. Early humans coexisted with a range of dangerous creatures, from Cave Bears and big cats to wolves and hyenas, adding to the peril of their daily lives.