Anthropocene

Over the last seventy-odd years, growing populations, factories and worldwide trade have altered the planet so profoundly that its condition now differs from the stable stretch of roughly eleven thousand years that preceded it. Scientists have proposed naming this new chapter of Earth's history the Anthropocene. The concept raises scientific questions, opens intellectual puzzles, and provokes unsettling questions about politics, society, the economy and ethics.

Humanity must learn to share the planet sustainably with other living things in this emerging state. That starts with grasping the many meanings of the term. The author approaches the subject from several fields at once. Geology describes the Anthropocene as a physical layer of change, visible in reshaped landscapes, a warming climate and a biosphere in flux. The humanities and social sciences then ask who the "anthropos" is, examining the human activities behind these shifts, including questions of justice, fairness, economics and culture that geoscience typically leaves aside.

The book traces human history from its distant origins to recent times, considers the politics and economic drives behind growth, and weighs possible ways to soften the harm. Because the planet has limited resources, the author argues that meeting these challenges will require hope and effective action from scholars across disciplinary boundaries.