To explain how we reached this point, the authors map out human progress through energy and organizational revolutions:
The Anthropocene is the proposed new geological epoch defined by human activity. Lewis and Maslin explain that humans have transitioned from just another species surviving in the biosphere to a force that rivals massive volcanoes, meteorites, and plate tectonics. Key indicators of our planetary dominance include: The Human Planet: How We Created the Anthropocene
Humans produce over 300 million tons of plastic annually and have created over 170,000 synthetic mineral-like substances. 📍 Pinpointing the "Golden Spike": 1610 To explain how we reached this point, the
By weight, land mammals are now 30% humans, 67% livestock/pets, and only 3% wild animals. 📍 Pinpointing the "Golden Spike": 1610 By weight,
They call this the It marks a distinct, measurable dip in atmospheric carbon dioxide captured in Antarctic ice cores. This dip was caused by the regrowth of forests in the Americas after European diseases, colonialism, and slavery wiped out approximately 50 million Indigenous people. By linking the Anthropocene to this era, the authors weave human history, economics, and social injustice directly into the geological record. ⚡ The Four Transitions of Human Power
The book's most famous and debated contribution to the scientific community is its pinpointing of the exact moment the Anthropocene began. While many scientists argue for the Industrial Revolution or the 1950s "Great Acceleration" (marked by nuclear fallout and massive plastic production), Lewis and Maslin argue for the year .