Earth's identity crisis...

Nature is having the mother of all identity crises. Our beloved planet is facing up to arguably some of the most unpredictable, unprecedented challenges it has yet to confront in its 4.5 billion year history. Never before has one single species had such a dramatic and powerful influence over nature itself.

Homo Sapiens have caused the rise of atmospheric CO2 levels to concentrations unprecedented in the last 400,000 years, warmed the planet, shifted sediment at 10x the speed of natural erosion, acidified the oceans, formed a hole in the ozone layer, contributed to mass species extinctions, and torn down millions of acres of forest each year for our use (Monastersky 2015). The fingerprint of humanity has never been so identifiable. We have stopped adapting to nature, and started forcing it to adapt to us (Syvitski 2012).

Are humans permanently altering the global environment? (Image: Occupy)

Welcome to the Anthropocene, otherwise known as 'The Human Age' (Monastersky 2015) A geological period like no other, characterised by humanity playing God, pushing Earth across sensitive planetary boundaries. Is this humankind's shining glory or worst nightmare?

Is this the latest chapter in Earth History?  (Image: Climatica)

The concept of the Anthropocene, though heavily contested, is one which has shaken and stirred the scientific community since its initial proposal earlier this century (Crutzen and Stoermer 2000, Crutzen 2002). Serious geological, environmental, and socioeconomic implications accompany this idea. We find ourselves asking, 'Could humans really be a geological force? Are we THAT powerful? If so, can we seriously be the cause of a new geological epoch?!' The answers to these questions are highly controversial, and thus form the bulk of my blogging exploration. Over the course of the next few months, I intend to delve into the intricate depths of the debates surrounding the Anthropocene with these key questions in mind:

• What impacts have humans had on the planet?
• Are these impacts of an epochal scale?
• When did the Anthropocene begin? Are we at its dawn, or at its dusk? Does this mean the end of the Holocene?
• Should the Anthropocene become an official epoch, or would it be better as only an age or event within the Holocene?

Instead of following a strict agenda, I hope this blog will be an engagement with the rapidly growing contemporary literature, allowing my views to mould as the blog progresses. Using academic papers, news articles, media outlets and any other sources that anger/intrigue/excite me, this blog will become a critical discussion of the evidence for and against the Anthropocene's formal ratification.

Ultimately, I hope to come to a conclusion whether or not I believe we are, already have, or should be entering the Anthropocene. As it stands, I am on the fence. Although humans have had undeniable planetary impacts, I am unsure if these are currently at an epochal scale. If, a few decades/centuries down the line, humanity further modified the biosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, lithosphere (and all the other spheres) to such an extent that Earth shifted into another stable climatic state...then I think that would be a much clearer stratigraphic signature to define a wholly new period of geological time.

However, the great thing about this blogging journey is that I am completely open to changing my opinion, and hopefully I'll change yours too! Perhaps it is these relatively large, detrimental effects we've had on the planet over such a short period of time that makes the Anthropocene such a pivotal current discourse. In January we'll revisit this initial post and see if my viewpoint has changed…

My next post will introduce the 'Anthropocene 101': the scientific basis, the key academic arguments, and a summary of the (very) contested suggestions for the onset of this proposed period. In the meantime, check out the short video below for a basic overview of some key ideas.

If this subject fires you up as much as it does me, please don't hesitate to vote in the poll and voice your comments below. I'm open to discussion. Do you think we're in the Anthropocene?

For now the jury is seated, Ladies and Gentlemen. Watch this space.