The term “Cretaceous” refers to a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago. It is the last period of the Mesozoic Era, following the Jurassic and preceding the Paleogene. The Cretaceous is characterized by the dominance of dinosaurs on land, the appearance of flowering plants, and significant geological changes, including the break-up of the supercontinent Pangaea. It ended with a mass extinction event, likely caused by an asteroid impact, which led to the extinction of many species, including the non-avian dinosaurs. The word can also be used as an adjective to describe rock formations or deposits from this period.
