Evolution of the Atmosphere, Fire and the Anthropocene Climate Event Horizon

Unique among all creatures, further to the increase in its cranial volume from Australopithecus to Homo sapiens, the use of tools and cultural and scientific creativity, the genus Homo is distinguished by the mastery of fire, which since about two million years ago has become its blueprint. Through the Holocene and culminating in the Anthropocene, the burning of much of the terrestrial vegetation, excavation and combustion of fossil carbon from up to 420 million years-old biospheres, are leading to a global oxidation event on a geological scale, a rise in entropy in nature and the sixth mass extinction of species.

Autorentext

Andrew Glikson, an Earth and paleo-climate scientist, studied geology at the University of Jerusalem and graduated at the University of Western Australia in 1968. He conducted geological surveys of the oldest geological formations in Australia, South Africa, India and Canada, studied large asteroid impacts, including effects on the atmosphere and oceans mass extinction of species. Since 2005 he studied the relations between climate and human evolution. He was active in communicating nuclear issues and climate change evidence to the public and parliamentarians through papers, lectures and conferences.

Inhalt

Early atmosphere-biosphere systems.- Palaeozoic and Mesozoic atmospheres.- Cenozoic atmospheres and early Hominins.- A flammable biosphere.- Homo Prometheus: a fire species.- Climate and Holocene civilizations.- Homo sapiens' war against nature.- An uncharted climate territory.- Homo Prometheus.