Humanity's impact on the planet has been profound. From fire, intensive hunting, and agriculture, it has accelerated into rapid climate change, widespread pollution, plastic accumulation, and the mass extinction of species--changes that have left a mark in the geological record of the rocks. Yet, the proposal for a new unit of geological time--the Anthropocene Epoch--has raised debate far beyond geological circles. The Anthropocene has emerged as a powerful new narrative of the relationship between humans and nature.

Origins -- Earth system -- Geologic time -- The great acceleration -- Anthropos -- Oikos -- Politikos -- Prometheus.