Concepts
Anthropocene
an-thruh-poh-SEEN
Also Known As The Human Age
Proposed Time Unit
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The Anthropocene is a proposed geological time unit designating the period in which human activity became a dominant force reshaping Earth's geology, chemistry and ecosystems. First used informally by biologist Eugene Stoermer in the 1980s and popularized in 2000 by atmospheric chemist Paul Crutzen, it was formally proposed to the International Commission on Stratigraphy as a new epoch. In 2024, after fifteen years of deliberation, the formal proposal was voted down by a wide margin, so the Anthropocene has no ratified place on the geologic time scale, though the term remains in wide scientific and public use.
Facts
Origin YearThe term was used informally by biologist Eugene Stoermer in the 1980s, but was popularized and brought to wide scientific attention in 2000 by atmospheric chemist Paul Crutzen; 2000 is recorded here as the year of popularization, not first coinage. Cross-Tradition Connections
Associated With
Holocene, Eras Why this is disputed. Anthropocene is proposed as the epoch succeeding the Holocene, but the International Commission on Stratigraphy rejected formal ratification in 2024, so the Holocene remains the current live epoch of the geologic time scale.
Sources
1. Anthropocene (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationOpening sectionQuote, Opening section
Despite its rejection as a formal unit of the Geologic Time Scale, Anthropocene will nevertheless continue to be used not only by Earth and environmental scientists, but also by social scientists, politicians and economists, as well as by the public at large.
1. Anthropocene (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationDevelopment of the conceptQuote, Development of the concept
the term was widely popularised in 2000 by atmospheric chemist Paul J. Crutzen
1. Anthropocene (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationDevelopment of the concept (Stoermer)Quote, Development of the concept (Stoermer)
The biologist Eugene F. Stoermer is credited with first coining and using the term anthropocene informally in the 1980s
Open Questions (1 open question)
Should the Anthropocene Be Formally Ratified as a Geological Epoch?
In 2024, after fifteen years of deliberation, the International Commission on Stratigraphy's Subcommission on Quaternary Stratigraphy voted down the Anthropocene Working Group's proposal to formally ratify the Anthropocene as a new epoch, owing largely to its shallow sedimentary record and its extremely recent, contested proposed start date, so the term remains widely used without a ratified place on the geologic time scale.
What would resolve this A revised formal proposal addressing the 2024 objections, most likely with a different candidate start marker less exposed to the recency-bias criticism levelled at the 1950 Great Acceleration boundary, brought back to the International Commission on Stratigraphy and the International Union of Geological Sciences for a fresh vote, would resolve the question either way.
GeochronologyAnthropocene (Wikipedia)
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