The Anthropocene

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 The Anthropocene

The earth's history is categorized into a hierarchical series of small timelines referred to

as geological time scales. These timelines are referred to by numerous titles, such as eras, eons,

and ages (Castree, 2019). The earth's timeline is classified according to the rock layers within the

strata and the composition of fossils on the earth's surface. By closely examining fossils

composed within the earth's crust, scientists can discover the organisms that existed on the earth's

surface and their characteristics, enabling them to have a correct record of the geological

existence (Alex, 2021). Stratigraphy refers to the whole idea of studying geological features and

their relationship (Goudie & Viles, 2016).

The current world exists in the Holocene epoch, a period which has lived for the past

11,000 years ago after the end of the ice age period. However, the Anthropocene epoch time is

an unofficial timeline of geology. The entire idea of Anthropocene is derived from Greek

"anthro" and "cene," which are used to denote the words man and new. Two famous scientists

and geologists popularized the Anthropocene idea, Eugene Stormer and Paul Crutzen, in 2002

(What Is the Anthropocene? 2019).

There has been an ongoing debate about whether the Anthropocene period is similar or

different to the Holocene timeline because the term Anthropocene has not been adopted by major

scientific organizations. One of them is the International Union of Geological Sciences, a body

that is mandated to name and define the timeline of each epoch. The main question that society

must answer before determining the Anthropocene period is the level of human activities and

how it has contributed to changing the earth's geology to the point where the strata exhibit the

effects.
 The Anthropocene term has been an environmental buzzword after its popularization by

Crutzen. There have been numerous discussions on the same, especially by the elite scientist

circles, and the term has been used in over 200 peer-reviewed articles (Wiggins & Krieg, 2018).

However, most stratigraphers are against the whole idea of using the Anthropocene as an epoch

timeline due to the lack of evidence that correctly defines this timeline, unlike the others. Some

scientists suggest that this period is more of a pop culture than real hard science, since there is no

concrete evidence on how human activities have influenced the epoch change. For instance, the

atomic era is characterized by radiation evidence within the soil structure. These scientists

further suggest that the whole idea of Anthropocene is an eye-catching scientific jargon without

concrete proof of the geological aspect of human influence on the crust of the earth.

Anthropocene supporters acknowledge this whole idea. Most proponents have offered

explanations of the phenomena surrounding these periods and the possible duration of their

occurrence but have not provided definitive scientific evidence. The Anthropocene epoch is

considered to have begun at the advent of the industrial revolution or just after the end of the

atomic period (Bruhn, 2017). Despite the lack of consensus on the accurate timeline of this

epoch period, there is no denying the level of impact of human activities on the environment

since there are undeniable impacts that suggest the era of a new epoch. The Anthropocene

Working Group acknowledged the differences between the Anthropocene and the Holocene

epochs. It indicated that the latter commenced with the advancement of the Great Acceleration

period, which was characterized by increased human activities that have immensely affected the

planet.

For the longest time, humans have managed to modify landforms and accompanying

processes formed during the period of the Anthropocene. For the past 70 years, human activities
have impacted and unfolded at an extreme scale and rate. The Great Acceleration period, which

correctly defines this timeline, has been characterized by extensive carbon emissions, ocean

acidification, global warming, and the wide-scale extraction of natural resources. Activities

during the Great Acceleration period have extensively modified the whole structure of the earth's

crust (Javier Carrillo, 2021).

The Holocene period was characterized by some of the critical changes in the planet's

composition. These changes include extreme population growth of the human species and

advancements in civilization. Over the past 10 000 years, human beings have successfully

developed cities and discovered scientific and technological breakthroughs (Ellis, 2018). Since

the ice age, the earth's climate has been relatively warm and predictable. However, the recent

climatic characteristics suggest a different picture from the ice age. The climate is no longer

stable, and there is gradual and extensive global warming. These signs have made scientists

acknowledge that human activities have risen beyond natural occurrence, causing global

warming (Moore, 2015). Other activities that considerably lead to the extreme change in the

earth's climatic characteristics include urbanization, pollution, agriculture, and deforestation.

However, there are still disagreements among the geologists on the lasting impacts that

human beings have on the physical and chemical composition of the earth's crust, which needs to

be declared before a new epoch can commence. It is worth noting that human beings have

existed on earth for a relatively short time compared to the relative existence of the planet; hence

it is early to estimate the overall impact of human activities on fossil records and whether this

evidence will exist in millions of years to come from now.

Other proponents of the Anthropocene suggest that the period commenced with the

advent of the industrial revolution in Britain during the 18th century. The Industrial Revolution is
attributed to have created the first fuel economy on the planet. The combustion of fossil fuels

enabled the large-scale production of goods and services and spurred the growth of factories and

mining activities (Jonsson, 2015). The demand for coal and other fossil fuel products has

tremendously increased as other countries joined Britain to revolutionize their production,

resulting in extensive pollution from carbon dioxide that is dangerous to the environment.

However, there are still arguments on the correct period of Anthropocene commencement

since other scientists suggest that this period started way back when humans began engaging in

farming activities. Other proponents suggest that this period commenced during the 1950s after

using radioactive weapons, which resulted in the spread of radioactive elements across the world.

During nuclear weapons use, radioactive waste and debris from atomic bombs and explosions

found their way into the atmosphere and later into rocks and trees. It is worth noting that some

regions within the planet have contributed to pollution and climate change more than others. For

instance, industrialized and post-industrialized countries have produced more emissions and

utilized more resources than their developing counterparts.

The Anthropocene period could be heavily defined by the use of plastic, resulting in

extensive pollution. Currently, the planet is overwhelmed by plastic pollution, which results from

the millions of tons of plastic products produced and consumed by human beings (Sklair &

Murphy, 2020). Due to the biodegradable nature of plastic materials, these products litter up

ocean beds and soils. However, historical studies have recorded the use of plastics in fossil

records. For instance, a 2019 study on California coast sediments discovered the use of plastics

dated to the 1940s, suggesting that pollution from plastic materials has been in existence and is

tremendously growing in the current society. The plastic marker in determining the epoch
timeline is still under study by scientists to decide whether or not it can be used to signify the

commencement of the Anthropocene epoch timeline (WODSKOU, 2012).

Anthropocene has been used in several contexts different from the geological aspect, a

factor that makes it hard for scientists to determine its correct application and significance. For

instance, the Anthropocene describes the timeline of inexistence where human beings have

substantially impacted the planet. Using this term in such contexts has made it hard for scientists

to determine whether this new geological dawn is upon the current society since human beings

are part of a global and intricate system and the evidence of their overall impact on human

beings is still not clear. Some proponents measure the effects of human activities on the change

in climate, which may be completely wrong. The gradual warming of the atmosphere and air and

water pollution is attributed to human activities. Still, the age of the Anthropocene is more than

the contribution of human beings toward climate change (Marcia Bjornerud, 2018). Having an

awareness of the current earth's state and the effects of human activities is one of the essential

factors in determining the dawn of the Anthropocene epoch.

At the moment, human beings have had a profound effect on modifying the earth's

surface, oceans, and nutrient cycling. It is estimated that by 2005, human beings had utilized

close to two-thirds of the earth's surface for agricultural activities, and the rest was utilized for

the development of urban areas and settlements. Humans have had control of almost all the

biomass produced within the earth's planet from terrestrial plants and animals. Human beings'

total control of the earth's production is attributed to extensive development of new technologies

that encourage large-scale farming through industrial nitrogen fixation, a process referred to as

Haber-Bosch.
 As the human population advanced, it was characterized by the shift from wood and

biomass to fossil fuels to meet the demands of the growing population. The amount of carbon

dioxide produced by burning charcoal and firewood was overshadowed by the amount of

pollution resulting from combustion engines and factory furnaces. The significant buildup of

carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has resulted in the global rise in surface temperatures, global

warming, unpredictable weather patterns, rise in sea levels, and the dwindling of mountain

glaciers (Neuhaus & Kehal, 2022).

Even though mass extinction events have been recorded in the earth's history, which has

resulted in the wiping off of entire life species, all these events have always been contributed by

natural events and occurrences. However, this period is when the earth is experiencing activities

resulting from a single species that has destructive effects on the world, and the whole human

beings species is aware of the level of destruction they are causing to the planet (Leinfelder,

2013). At the moment, species are getting extinct faster than in previous years, a phenomenon

attributed to human activities.

Alex, B. (2021). The Anthropocene's Ancient Origins. Discover. 42(5), 62-65.

Bruhn, J. (2017). Introduction to the Anthropocene theme. Ekfrase, 7(1-02), 7–9.

https://doi.org/10.18261/issn.1891-5760-2016-01-02-02

Castree, N. (2019). The Anthropocene: A Very Short Introduction. The AAG Review of Books.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/2325548X.2019.1579565

Cook, S. (2011). Climate change-induced conflict: a threat to human health. Medicine, Conflict

and Survival, 27(1), 17–24. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27018211

Ellis, E. (2018, March 22). Anthropocene: A Very Short Introduction by Erle C. Ellis |

Waterstones. Waterstones.com. https://www.waterstones.com/book/anthropocene-a-very-

short-introduction/erle-c-ellis/9780198792987

Goudie, A. S., & Viles, H. A. (2016). Introduction to the Anthropocene and

Anthropogeomorphology. Geomorphology in the Anthropocene, 1–14.

https://doi.org/10.1017/cbo9781316498910.001

Javier Carrillo, F. (2021, November 9). Introduction to Knowledge For The Anthropocene. Elgar

Online: The Online Content Platform for Edward Elgar Publishing; Edward Elgar

Publishing.

https://www.elgaronline.com/view/edcoll/9781800884281/9781800884281.00009.xml

Jonsson, F. A. (2015). Anthropocene Blues: Abundance, Energy, Limits. RCC Perspectives, 2,

55–64. http://www.jstor.org/stable/26241317

Leinfelder, R. (2013). Assuming Responsibility for the Anthropocene: Challenges and

Opportunities in Education. RCC Perspectives, 3, 9–28.

http://www.jstor.org/stable/26240506
Marcia Bjornerud. (2018). Timefulness: How Thinking Like a Geologist Can Help Save the

World. Princeton University Press

Moore, A. (2015). The Anthropocene: A Critical Exploration. Environment and Society, 6, 1–3.

http://www.jstor.org/stable/26204947

Neuhaus, F., & Kehal, J. (2022). Introduction to the Special Issue: Building the Anthropocene.

Cgscholar.com. https://doi.org/10.18848/2325-1662/CGP/v16i01/0-0

Sklair, L., & Murphy, M. W. (2020). Introduction to the Special Issue on World-Systems

Analysis and the Anthropocene. Journal of World-Systems Research, 26(2), 175–183.

https://doi.org/10.5195/jwsr.2020.1021

What is the Anthropocene? (2019). Nhm.ac.UK. https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/what-is-the-

anthropocene.html

Wiggins, K., & Krieg, B. (2018). Introduction to the Anthropocene. Bu.edu.

https://doi.org/https://nanocrit.com/issues/issue13/Editors-Introduction-for-NANO-

Special-Issue-13-The-Anthropocene

WODSKOU, C. (2012). Rise of the Anthropocene. Corporate Knights, 11(1), 24–25.

http://www.jstor.org/stable/43242648