Description
Book SynopsisThe Human Age is an intrepid exploration of the new geological epoch in which we now find ourselves: the Anthropocene. Defined as the Age of Man, this is the epoch in which human beings have become the driving forces that mould, transform and destroy Earth. Where natural occurrences once controlled climate, geology and the genesis and demise of species, humankind now holds the reins.
Bringing together scientific theory, political argument, philosophical questioning and our deepest fears and hopes for the future, The Human Age explores this new age through informative and compelling text, and astounding photographs of the impact of human life on Earth. Powerful graphics depict the changing nature of the landscape and the very bedrock of our planet, and the destruction of ancient systems and environments that is resulting in global upheaval and climate breakdown. Creating a visual and written timeline of the age of human domination, The Human Age reveals how this era was born, the ways in which it is impacting us and our planet now, and the outlook for the future.
Table of ContentsIntroduction: The new epoch • The strange case of freezing lava • Conceptual debates • The birth of deep time • Early insights and missed opportunities • Excessive heat • Melting of glaciers • Weather extremes • Draining of wetlands • Plastic islands • The ocean • Drilling and fracking • Mass extinction • Inequality • The African Anthropocene • Outer space • Denial • The geosocial turn • Extinction rebellion • Geopolitics • Conclusion • Index.
