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IFLScience The Big Questions: Are We In The Anthropocene?

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clock-iconPUBLISHEDSeptember 11, 2025

IFLScience The Big Questions: Are We In The Anthropocene?

Join us as we dig through the debate surrounding the proposed new geological era.

Dr. Russell Moul headshot

Dr. Russell Moul

Dr. Russell Moul headshot

Dr. Russell Moul

Science Writer

Russell has a PhD in the history of medicine, violence, and colonialism. His research has explored topics including ethics, science governance, and medical involvement in violent contexts.

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Science Writer

Russell has a PhD in the history of medicine, violence, and colonialism. His research has explored topics including ethics, science governance, and medical involvement in violent contexts.View full profile

Russell has a PhD in the history of medicine, violence, and colonialism. His research has explored topics including ethics, science governance, and medical involvement in violent contexts.

View full profile
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Find out how the idea of the Anthropocene was created.

Image credit: Valentyn Volkov/Shutterstock.com; modified by IFLScience.

In March 2024, geologists rejected the proposal that we are in a new geological era: the Anthropocene, a time dominated by human activity on the planet. And yet, the evidence of our impact on the Earth’s ecology and climate continues to mount up around us. So how could this decision make sense given everything going on in the world today?

The rest of this article is behind a paywall. Please sign in or subscribe to access the full content.

To dig through the layers of confusion surrounding the Anthropocene, host Dr Russell Moul spoke to Professor Erle Ellis, from the Department of Geography and Environmental Systems at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He explains how the idea of the Anthropocene was created and how it has value outside of debates over geological time.

You can listen to this episode and subscribe to the podcast on all your favorite podcast apps: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podbean, Amazon Music, and more.

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ORIGINALLY PUBLISHEDSeptember 11, 2025

Written by Dr. Russell Moul

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