“The Anthropocene is a proposed geological epoch dating from the commencement of significant human impact on Earth’s geology and ecosystems, including, but not limited to, anthropogenic climate change. As of April 2022, neither the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS) nor the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) has officially approved the term as a recognised subdivision of geologic time, although the Anthropocene Working Group (AWG) of the Subcommission on Quaternary Stratigraphy (SQS) of the ICS voted in April 2016 to proceed towards a formal golden spike (GSSP) proposal to define the Anthropocene epoch in the geologic time scale (GTS) and presented the recommendation to the International Geological Congress in August 2016. In May 2019, the AWG voted in favour of submitting a formal proposal to the ICS by 2021, locating potential stratigraphic markers to the mid-twentieth century of the common era. This time period coincides with the start of the Great Acceleration, a post-WWII time period during which socioeconomic and Earth system trends increase at a dramatic rate, and the Atomic Age. Various start dates for the Anthropocene have been proposed, ranging from the beginning of the Agricultural Revolution 12,000–15,000 years ago, to as recently as the 1960s. The ratification process is still ongoing, and thus a date remains to be decided definitively, but the peak in radionuclides fallout consequential to atomic bomb testing during the 1950s has been more favoured than others, locating a possible beginning of the Anthropocene to the detonation of the first atomic bomb in 1945, or the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1963.” (Wiki)
“The Anthropocene epoch is a proposed geological epoch that marks the beginning of human impact on the environment. The term “Anthropocene“ was first coined in 2000 by ecologist Eugene Stoermer and has been widely adopted by the scientific community. The Anthropocene epoch is typically dated to the mid–20th century, when human activity began to have a significant global impact on the environment. The concept of the Anthropocene has been criticized for its lack of a clear boundary and for its potential to downplay the role of natural processes in environmental change. Nevertheless, the Anthropocene epoch is a useful way to conceptualize the human impact on the environment and the need for sustainable management of natural resources. The scientific community is in general agreement that the Anthropocene epoch has begun, but there is debate about when it started. A majority of scientists support the idea that the Anthropocene epoch began in the mid–20th century, although some have argued that it started earlier, in the 18th century or even earlier. The Anthropocene Working Group, a group of international scientists convened to develop a formal proposal for the epoch, has proposed the use of the “golden spike“ method to define the start of the epoch. This method would involve choosing a specific date or event that marks the beginning of human impact on the environment. The Anthropocene epoch is a proposed geological epoch that marks the beginning of human impact on the environment. The term “Anthropocene“ was first coined in 2000 by ecologist Eugene Stoermer and has been widely adopted by the scientific community. The Anthropocene epoch is typically dated to the mid–20th century, when human activity began to have a significant global impact on the environment. The concept of the Anthropocene has been criticized for its lack of a clear boundary and for its potential to downplay the role of natural processes in environmental change. Nevertheless, the Anthropocene epoch is a useful way to conceptualize the human impact on the environment and the need for sustainable management of natural resources. The scientific community is in general agreement that the Anthropocene epoch has begun, but there is debate about when it started. A majority of scientists support the idea that the Anthropocene epoch began in the mid–20th century, although some have argued that it started earlier, in the 18th century or even earlier. The Anthropocene Working Group, a group of international scientists convened to develop a formal proposal for the epoch, has proposed the use of the “golden spike“ method to define the start of the epoch. This method would involve choosing a specific date or event that marks the beginning of human impact on the environment. The choice of a golden spike is a contentious issue, as it is difficult to identify a single date or event that represents the start of human impact on the environment. However, the Anthropocene Working Group has proposed the use of the atomic bomb tests in 1945 as the golden spike. This date marks the beginning of the nuclear age and the widespread use of radioactive isotopes, which have had a profound impact on the environment. The concept of the Anthropocene epoch is a useful way to conceptualize the human impact on the environment and the need for sustainable management of natural resources. The choice of a golden spike is a contentious issue, but the use of the atomic bomb tests in 1945 as the golden spike represents the beginning of the nuclear age and the widespread use of radioactive isotopes, which have had a profound impact on the environment.” (TEWAI)
References:
Eugene F. Stoermer and Paul J. Crutzen. “Anthropocene.” The International Geosphere–Biosphere Programme, 2000.
Paul J. Crutzen. “The Anthropocene.” Nature, vol. 415, no. 6867, 2002, pp. 23–23.
Erle C. Ellis. “Anthropocene: From Global Change to Planetary Stewardship.” AMBIO: A Journal of the Human Environment, vol. 40, no. 7, 2011, pp. 739–751. Anthropocene Working Group. “AWG–LCA–2015: A Proposal for the Anthropocene.” Anthropocene, vol. 12, 2016, pp. 14–18.
Mark Maslin. “Defining the Anthropocene.” Nature, vol. 517, no. 7533, 2015, pp. 28–29.
Richard Zeebe and James C. Zachos. “Anthropogenic Climate Change and the Geological Record.” Science, vol. 348, no. 6234, 2015, pp. 289–293.
Noble, Irene, et al. “The Anthropocene is functionally and stratigraphically distinct from the Holocene.” Science, vol. 351, no. 6269, 2016, pp. aaas9031.