Subscribe now

Humans

If we’re in the Meghalayan, whatever happened to the Anthropocene?

By Mark Maslin and Simon Lewis

19 July 2018

New Scientist. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

What geological time are we in now anyway?

Kritsada Seekham / Alamy Stock Photo

One big debate in science is whether the impacts of human actions on earth are now so large that we have entered a new geological time. Called the Anthropocene, its formal designation would mean the old forces of nature that transformed our planet many millions of years ago, including meteorites and mega-volcanoes, are joined by another: us. What geologists call the Holocene Epoch would be over. The exact date would be up for debate, but it would probably be within the past few hundred years.

A…

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox. We'll also keep you up to date with New Scientist events and special offers.

Sign up

To continue reading, subscribe today with our introductory offers

Popular articles

Trending New Scientist articles

Piano Exit Overlay Banner Mobile Piano Exit Overlay Banner Desktop