The Human Age: How we caused the climate crisis

by Gísli Pálsson

Where natural occurrences once controlled climate, geology and the genesis and demise of species, humankind now holds the reins. The Human Age is an intrepid exploration of the new geological epoch in which we now find the Anthropocene. Defined as the Age of Man, this is the epoch in which human beings have become the driving forces that mold, transform and destroy Earth. Bringing together scientific theory, political argument, philosophical questioning and our deepest fears and hopes for the future, The Human Age explores this new age through informative and compelling text, and astounding photographs of the impact of human life on Earth. Powerful graphics depict the changing nature of the landscape and the very bedrock of our planet, and the destruction of ancient systems and environments that is resulting in global upheaval and climate breakdown. Creating a visual and written timeline of the age of human domination, The Human Age reveals how this era was born, the ways in which it is impacting us and our planet now, and the outlook for the future.

224 pages, Hardcover

Published October 6, 2020

About the author

Gísli Pálsson is a professor of anthropology at the University of Iceland.

Reviews

[Schvenn]

Right in the first chapter there is a glaring mistake, which gives me pause regarding the accuracy of the rest of the book. The authour mentions that society didn't know or believe the Earth is a sphere until 1492. This is not even remotely accurate. Only fringes of society ever believed the Earth was flat, as far back as the written word can be traced. Even the Christian-Judaic scriptures mention the "circle of the Earth", except that in the original language, there is no distinction between the word circle and sphere. So, even religious texts support the concept that Earth may be a sphere. Pythagoras mentioned the Earth was a sphere, as did Parmenides and Aristotle, 2500 years ago. Even a cursory search on the Internet can find these and other examples. So, take what you read in this book with a grain of salt, rather than trusting it to be scientifically accurate.