The Holocene is the geological epoch we are living in right now, which started approximately 11,700 years ago. Often nicknamed the "Age of Man," the Holocene is the second epoch in the Quaternary period.
The primary characteristic of the Holocene is stability: In comparison to the preceding Pleistocene epoch, which had massive temperature swings and periods of glaciation, Earth's climate became relatively warmer and more predictable. This allowed humans to transition from a nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle to a more settled, agricultural one. As permanent settlements and then cities developed, complex societies, governments, and technologies emerged. In fact, all of written human history so far has taken place during this epoch.