What is the Anthropocene?

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🗞️ Driving the news: The Anthropocene, proposed as a new geological epoch, is debated among scientists
• It denotes an epoch where human activities have profoundly altered Earth's climate, geology, and biodiversity
• While many support its formalization due to profound changes since the mid-20th century, a committee has recently voted against recognizing it officially

🔭 The context: Earth's geological history is segmented into epochs, with the Holocene starting about 12,000 years ago
• The proposed Anthropocene epoch signifies human-driven alterations to Earth's geology, atmosphere, and ecosystems, notably since World War II

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The concept of the Anthropocene underscores the unprecedented influence humans have on Earth, from climate change and pollution to mass extinctions
• It highlights the urgency of addressing environmental challenges and rethinking our impact on the planet

⏭️ What's next: Despite the formal recognition being voted down, the term Anthropocene is widely used to describe the current era of human dominance and its environmental consequences
• It serves as a call to action for humanity to mitigate its impact and ensure a sustainable future

📈 One stat: The last time Earth's atmosphere contained as much CO2 as now was 3 million years ago, evidencing the dramatic shift in environmental conditions due to human activities

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