Paul Crutzen

What the critics of the Anthropocene are missing – and why it should actually be a new geological epoch

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Geologists on an international subcommittee recently rejected a proposal to formally recognize that we have entered the Anthropocene, a new geological epoch that represents the time when massive, relentless human influences began to overwhelm Earth’s regulatory systems. A new era needs a start date. The geologists were therefore asked to vote on a proposal to … Read more

The Anthropocene is not an epoch, but the age of humans is certainly coming

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When people talk about the “Anthropocene,” they typically imagine the enormous impact human societies are having on the planet, from rapid declines in biodiversity to increases in global temperatures from burning fossil fuels. Such massive planetary changes did not all begin at one time or place. That’s why it was controversial when, after more than … Read more