The Anthropocene

UNIT 9: GLOBALIZATION, 1900–PRESENT The Anthropocene In 2000, the Nobel Prize–winning atmospheric chemist Paul Crutzen and biologist Eugene Stoermer jointly proposed that humanity had entered a new geological epoch: the Anthropocene, the Age of Humans. The term captures the insight that human activity—primarily the burning of fossil fuels, the transformation of land for agriculture, and the discharge of industrial and agricultural chemicals into air and water—had become a force of geological magnitude, altering Earth's chemistry, climate, and biodiversity in ways comparable to the asteroid impact that ended the Cretaceous Period 66 million years ago. The Anthropocene concept forced a rethinking of the relationship between human civilization and the natural world: rather than existing within nature, modern industrial civilization had become the dominant driver of natural change. Key topics covered: - took a different approach - Beyond Carbon - Checkpoint Part of the "AP World History" series. Companion materials (quizzes, flashcards, study guides): https://jd-jones-ases.github.io/project-launchpad/ #education #apworld #learning