Jan Zalasiewicz: The Anthropocene as a potential new unit of geological time

The Anthropocene as a potential new unit of the Geological Time Scale.

Jan Zalasiewicz is Senior Lecturer at Leicester University and Chair of the Anthropocene Working Group of the International Commission on Stratigraphy. In this talk he explains what the Anthropocene means geolocially (1:35) and how it is still being debated. He mentions how the Comte de Buffon talked of man’s impact in the 1780’s (4:30). How the “Great Acceleration” stratigraphically, began 300 years ago (8:30). He then outlines the manmade geological effects and the immense impact they will have. How vulnerable our atmosphere and seas (18:50) and the effects man’s “civilisation” is having upon them (21:20). We’re on the edge of mass extinctions (29:20) and the explosion of invasive species and domesticated animals (30:00) are having dire effects.