Anthropocene
Anthropocene
Anthropocene (/ænˈθrɒp.əˌsiːn/ an-THROP-ə-seen) is a proposed epoch dating from the commencement of significant human impact on the Earth's geology and ecosystems, including, but not limited to, anthropogenic climate change.
Etymology
The term "Anthropocene" is a combination of the root "anthropo-", meaning "human" from the Greek anthropos (ἄνθρωπος), and "-cene", the standard suffix for "epoch" in geologic time, from the Greek kainos (καινός), meaning "new" or "recent".
Definition
The Anthropocene is a proposed epoch that begins when human activities started to have a significant global impact on Earth's geology and ecosystems. The term was coined by ecologist Eugene F. Stoermer and has been widely popularized by atmospheric chemist Paul J. Crutzen, who regards the influence of human behavior on the Earth's atmosphere in recent centuries as so significant as to constitute a new geological epoch.
Related Terms
- Holocene: The current geological epoch, which began approximately 11,700 years ago after the last major ice age.
- Pleistocene: The geological epoch which lasted from about 2,588,000 to 11,700 years ago, spanning the world's most recent period of repeated glaciations.
- Anthropogenic: Originating in human activity, especially in reference to the production of greenhouse gases affecting the earth's climate.
- Geologic Time Scale: A system of chronological dating that relates geological strata to time.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Anthropocene
- Wikipedia's article - Anthropocene
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