Anthropocene

Gr 10 Up—The term Anthropocene has been put forth as the name of a new geological epoch, one not created by a force of nature, such as an ice age or an asteroid but by human activity. (The term is not official yet.) Several international scientists and professors interviewed here suggest the Anthropocene period would be different from former epochs. They posit that humans have changed the geological processes affecting weather, oceans, and animals. Also, humankind's progress has been so fast that we may have outstripped the capacity to adapt, possibly causing our own extinction. While these are weighty subjects, the experts are all articulate and explain abstract concepts in layman's terms. The talking-head interviews are accompanied by striking images and what appear to be 1950s educational film clips. The DVD ends on a rather hopeful note. Though all the scientists agree our future is uncertain, most state that this is not a time to panic but to become engaged.