Proposal to Designate 'Anthropocene' Epoch Rejected by Geologists

After 15 years of deliberation, the International Union of Geological Sciences denies the bid to mark humanity's impact on Earth's geological timeline.

The International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) has rejected a proposal to designate the period from 1952 as the Anthropocene epoch, marking a significant impact of humanity on the planet.
The decision comes after 15 years of deliberation by the Anthropocene working group and cannot be appealed against.
Critics of the proposal argued that human impacts on Earth date back further, including the dawn of agriculture and the industrial revolution.
Despite the rejection, the term 'Anthropocene' will continue to be used widely across various disciplines to describe human-environment interactions.
Some scientists view the rejection as a missed opportunity to recognize the mid-20th century as a turning point when the planet left its natural functioning state.