The International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS), the world’s largest association of earth scientists, recently announced the start of a new geological era on Earth known as the Anthropocene. This significant declaration was reported on the official website of the IUGS, making it a notable development for the scientific community.

A group of scientists conducted extensive research over the course of 15 years, and their findings revealed that human activity has had a profound impact on our planet. The consequences of activities such as increasing greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, species extinction, and various geological experiments were highlighted as key factors in shaping this new era.

While these findings support the existence of the Anthropocene and indicate that it started in the mid-20th century with the advent of nuclear experiments, an official decision regarding its declaration was met with opposition within the IUGS committee. Ultimately, the resolution to declare the Anthropocene was rejected, with 12 votes against, 4 in favor, and 3 abstentions.

Nevertheless, the IUGS emphasized that the term “Anthropocene” will still be widely used to describe the impact of human activities on Earth’s systems.