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The Human Planet: How We Created the Anthropocene Hardcover – August 28, 2018
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“A relentless reckoning of how we, as a species, got ourselves into the mess we’re in today, . . . told with determination and in chiseled, almost literary prose.”—Christoph Irmscher, Wall Street Journal
Meteorites, mega-volcanoes, and plate tectonics—the old forces of nature—have transformed Earth for millions of years. They are now joined by a new geological force—humans. Our actions have driven Earth into a new geological epoch, the Anthropocene. For the first time in our home planet’s 4.5-billion-year history a single species is increasingly dictating Earth’s future.
To some the Anthropocene symbolizes a future of superlative control of our environment. To others it is the height of hubris, the illusion of our mastery over nature. Whatever your view, just below the surface of this odd-sounding scientific word, the Anthropocene, is a heady mix of science, philosophy, and politics linked to our deepest fears and utopian visions.
Tracing our environmental impacts through time, scientists Simon Lewis and Mark Maslin reveal a new view of human history and a new outlook for the future of humanity in the unstable world we have created.
- Print length480 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherYale University Press
- Publication dateAugust 28, 2018
- Dimensions5 x 1.31 x 7.75 inches
- ISBN-100300232179
- ISBN-13978-0300232172
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“Immensely readable. . . . Simon Lewis and Mark Maslin provide a compelling narrative, stretching from the emergence of hominins from Earth’s long history some 3 million years ago, to our position today, as a species with planetary reach.”—Wolfgang Lucht, Nature
“A highly entertaining examination of the many ways in which humans are now profoundly altering Earth.”—Robin McKie, The Observer, Best Books of 2018
“Lewis and Maslin are excellent authors as well as . . . outstanding scientists. They do a remarkable job explaining what it means for humans to have become the dominant agents of global change.”—Pat Hamilton, director, Climate Change, Energy, and the Environment, Science Museum of Minnesota
“Tracing our environmental impacts through time, scientists Simon Lewis and Mark Maslin reveal a new view of human history and a new outlook for the future of humanity in the unstable world we have created.”—Micahel Svoboday, Yale Climate Connections
“I applaud the authors for constructing a rich narrative that rivals the best of environmental history in describing and explaining the profound trends that have brought us into the Anthropocene.”—Rowan Sage, Quarterly Review of Biology
“Simon Lewis and Mark Maslin reveal a new view of human history and a new outlook for the future of humanity in the unstable world we have created”—Renee Garfinkle, New Books Network
“A highly readable overview of the science behind the Anthropocene, and the implications of recognizing ourselves as a force of nature.”—Jeremy Williams, Earthbound Report
“[Lewis and Maslin] have crafted a narrative of sweeping breadth that takes their readers from the deep geological past into the Anthropocene.”—Jill S. Schneiderman, EuropeNow
“Like climate change itself, The Human Planet begins with an obscure squabble among scientists and then turns into a breathtaking new view of humanity’s past and future as a geological and ecological force.”—Crawford Kilian, The Tyee
“That humans now dominate the ‘natural’ systems of our planet is the key fact of our time—this book does a remarkable job of explaining how that came to pass, and why it matters so much.”—Bill McKibben, author Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?
“Profound and thought-provoking, this book does a remarkable job explaining where the current proposal to define a new human dominated era properly fits.”—Thomas E. Lovejoy, winner of the Blue Planet Prize and editor of Climate Change and Biodiversity
“Today scientists increasingly believe that we have entered a new era, the Anthropocene. In this succinct but sweeping re-evaluation of the human story, Simon Lewis and Mark Maslin show exactly why this abstract-sounding contention should radically affect our views of today and tomorrow. The Human Planet packs more ideas into a small space than I would have thought possible.”—Charles C. Mann, author of The Wizard and the Prophet
“Understanding what it means for humans to have become a geological force reshaping the workings of the Earth is both a deep intellectual challenge and a political necessity. Richly thought through and provocative from its title onwards, The Human Planet rises to that challenge, bringing together Earth history and human history in a new way. Its reassessment of the past will equip its readers to understand the future—and perhaps to improve it.”—Oliver Morton, author of The Planet Remade: How Geoengineering Could Change the World
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Yale University Press; Illustrated edition (August 28, 2018)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 480 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0300232179
- ISBN-13 : 978-0300232172
- Item Weight : 1.26 pounds
- Dimensions : 5 x 1.31 x 7.75 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #890,381 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,604 in Ecology (Books)
- #1,911 in Environmental Science (Books)
- #2,162 in Environmentalism
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
The world around us is an amazing and beautiful place. For me science adds another layer of appreciation and makes our World even more stunning and unique. I passionately believe it is the responsibility of scientists to communicate our knowledge and our wonder. My books include the high successful 'Climate Change: A Very Short Introduction' now in its 4th edition (OUP, 2021), The Cradle of Humanity (OUP, 2019), The Human Planet co-authored with Simon Lewis (Penguin, 2018, Yale 2022) and How To Save Our Planet: The Facts (Penguin, 2021).
I am Professor of Earth System Science at University College London - which means I research climate change in the past, the present and the future. I have publish over 185 papers in journals such as Science, Nature, The Lancet and Nature Climate Change. But as I said my passion is to communicate the wonder of science and what it can tell us about the world around us and about ourselves. I written 11 books, over 70 popular articles and I do appear regularly on radio and television. My blogs on the 'Conversation' (https://theconversation.com/uk) cover human evolution, climate change and the Anthropocene and have been read over 3.5 million times.
I was included in Who's Who for the first time in 2009 and am a Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Scholar. Oh I also run a company called Rezatec Ltd which produces environmental solutions for companies, NGOs and Governments - making the world a better place through use of real data.
Also thought you may like some shocking facts from my latest book 'How To Save Our Planet: The Facts' (Penguin, 2021)
For the first time in our planet's 4.5-billion year history a single species, humans, are dictating its future.
Humans are having as much affect on the Earth's environment as giant meteorites, mega-volcanoes and the movement of the continental plates.
Humans have cut down half the trees on Earth, over 3 trillion of them, since the beginning of civilization.
Humans have created over 170,000 synthetic mineral-like substances compared with about 5,000 "natural" occurring minerals.
Humans make over 300 million tonnes of plastic per year which can be found in ever ocean.
Humans have made enough concrete to cover the whole surface of the Earth in a layer 2 mm thick.
Humans move more soil, rock and sediment each year than is transported by all other natural processes combined.
Humans have increased atmospheric carbon dioxide levels by over 45%, acidifying the oceans and raising Earth's temperature delaying the next ice age by tens of thousands of years.
If you weigh all land mammals in the world, 30% is the weight of humans, 67% our livestock with just 3% being wild animals we see on wildlife programmes.
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The author's suggestions of UNI and half earth sliding are spot on, but do not go far enough. Unfortunately, those alone are unacceptable to the power structure. The reality is that concentration of wealth is unsustainable - all bottlenecks and tollbooths that enable excess income lead to planetary destruction and near or complete human extinction.
The Human Planet is a book which works to pinpoint the new, or rather current, geologic epoch, the Anthropocene -- the human epoch. With attention to the evolution of life and how life on earth. Different events have changed the earth. The Carboniferous period is named for the carbon sinking plant life expanded across the planet. Ice ages had their effects on life. The rise and fall of flora and fauna are used as markers in the history of the earth.
Following the section on historical geology, the authors concentrate on the rise of man from his beginning to his spread across the world. Man would have continued as hunter-gatherers without much effect on the planet. Man, however, did things to change his environment. Agriculture created societies and, in that, it also selectively bred plants and animals to meet his needs. A long string of events came from settling and developing agriculture. A community developed, a government formed, labor was divided. Efficiency in growing food exceeded hunting and gathering. This allowed new activities to begin -- primitive manufacturing, cultivating the land, and growth in population.
Technology helped man spread his influence on the planet. Something as harmless as the printing press was responsible for expanding information to a greater number of people and preserved knowledge. That information led to education and development of new technology or applications of technology. The power of steam was known to the ancient Greeks, but it wasn't until the 18th century when the steam engine was developed. The coal-fired steam engine replaced water mills to power industry. Coal was also used to heat houses and for cooking. London air was described as a sea of coal dust. From there a domino effect of new technology, population growth, deforesting, and removal of animal species continued. Man started changing the environment to suit his needs.
Since the steam engine, man has accelerated his impact on the planet. It is not only fossil fuels but also agriculture to support a growing population. Human population was one billion in 1804. It took until 1927 to reach two billion. 1960 marked three billion. It took only 13 years, on average, to add a billion more people to get to the six billion in 1999. Higher crop yields, better sanitation, better health care led to a population explosion. While longer and better life is a good thing, there will be a point that a great population will become unsupportable.
Technology is something unique to mankind. We use it to make our lives better. The changes are recognizable -- huge monoculture crops, sprawling cities, domestication of animals, removal of wild animals, not to mention man-made climate change. The Anthropocene is here. When did it start is the question that this book builds up to. A well-written history of the planet and mankind and the effects of man on the planet.
Top reviews from other countries
It takes you through a tour of anthropology, geology, to climate change and a little policial ideology.
Core ideas;
. The ongoing heated debate within geology of how to label the current geological state as Holocene vs anthropocene.
. Defining the antropocene with rigour
. How feedback mechanisms change societies.
. How human modes of living changed.
. Light human evolution and basic anthropology and geology.
Figs
I particularly liked fig 2.2 showing how the geological eon, era, ages etc fit in, essential to the layman. Alongside the 11.1 undersea internet cables is an interesting one.
Literature sources look very thorough and from many reputable scientific journals such as 'nature', 'science'. There's no questioning the authors' abilities as Scientists.
Criticisms; A few pedantic details but not many.
Pg 115. 'The food energy that needs to be eaten per day by a typical resting human is about 120 watts'
Logically this is actually correct as energy/time is units of watts. Not doubting the authors abilities, but the wording is slightly ambiguous. Is the author actually talking about Power (which is energy/time) or Energy? Both are rigourously distinct quantities. If talking of 'energy'/'potential' it's better to use kJ or 'power produced' then use 'Watts'.
To the layman that could come across as 'energy.......resting human.....watts!'
Pg 220 same thing
. Typo Pg 181; 'Cause'
. Typo Pg 312; 'micropastics'
I must say the focus on defining the Anthropocene was a bit of a lost leader and omitting this element and concentrating on how humans have shaped the earth and what solutions there are to the current climate would have made for a shorter and more readable (and probably more popular) book. However, skim a few chapters, and you have a five star book.