NewsletteroftheAnthropoceneWorkingGroup

Volume6:Reportofactivities2014‐15

December2015

InternationalUnionofGeologicalSciencesInternationalCommissiononStratigraphy

SubcommissiononQuaternaryStratigraphyhttp://quaternary.stratigraphy.org/workinggroups/anthropocene/

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TableofContentsCHAIRMAN’SCOLUMN.....................................................................................................................2 INAUGURALANTHROPOCENEWORKINGGROUPMEETING.........................................4 SECONDANTHROPOCENEWORKINGGROUPMEETING.................................................7 SELECTEDPUBLICATIONS.............................................................................................................8 CONFERENCES..................................................................................................................................11 MEDIA...................................................................................................................................................14 OTHERNEWS.....................................................................................................................................18 MEMBERSHIPTODATE................................................................................................................18 ANTHROPOCENEWORKINGGROUP:PROGRAMMEFOR2016.................................22 NewslettereditedbyColinWatersandJanZalasiewicz.ThankstoallcolleagueswhocontributedtothisNewsletter.Cover Illustration: Attendees at the Anthropocene Working Groupmeetingheldat theMcDonald Institute forArchaeologicalResearchat Cambridge University, Tuesday 24th and Wednesday 25thNovember2015.PhotographtakenbyCathNeal.

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CHAIRMAN’SCOLUMN

Dearall,StudyoftheAnthropocenecontinuesapace,bothwithinthisgroupandbeyondit,andthereseemstobesomesensethattheconcept–atleaststratigraphically‐isgainingincoherence.This,atleast,wasthegeneralfeelingthatemergedfromourfirst‘proper’meetinginOctober2014,atandkindlyenabledbytheBerlin’sHausderKulterenderWelt,towhomweextendsincerethanks.TheoverallconsensusthatemergedwasthattheAnthropoceneis‘real’asastratigraphicentity,withaspecificidentityingeologicalprocess,reflectedindistinctiveproxyindicatorsinrecentstrata.Althoughitsrootsextendbackmanythousandsofyears(back,indeed,intothePleistoceneEpoch)itseemsmostgloballywell‐markedfromthemid‐20thcentury,andisindeedsufficientlywell‐marked,andsufficientlydifferentfromHoloceneproxysignaturestoremainconsistentwiththecaseforformalizationatepochlevel(although,ofcourse,thisdecisionisnotourstotake,butthatofbodiesaboveuswithinthehierarchicalstructureoftheICS).Subsequentstudiesduringtheyear,conductedbyournormalmodusoperandivialivelyemaildiscussions,ingeneralstrengthenedthisconsensusview.Theseincludedstudiesofthe‘GreatAcceleration’graphs,nowpublishedinupdatedform,ofthebiosphere,ofplastics(inapaperinsubmission),ofthearchaeologicalevidence(atameetinghostedbytheMcDonaldInstituteinCambridgeinNovember2015)andsoon.Thisevidenceisbeingsummarizedforapapertobepublished(inthejournalScience)inearly2016.However,thesegeneralpointsrepresentaconsensus,ratherthanaunanimousdeclaration,andsootherpossibilities(includingapossible‘earlyAnthropocene’boundary)arebeingexaminedwithequalseriousness.Meanwhile,workhasbegunonthesummarybookdetailingtheevidencegatheredtodate,tobepublishedbyCambridgeUniversityPress.Allthiswork,andotherstudies(bothwithinandoutsidetheAWG)willbedebatedinanAWGmeeting(onlyourthirdmeeting,inperson),kindlyhostedbyandsponsoredtheFridtjofNansenInstituteinOslo,NorwayinApril2016.Here,wehopetodeveloptheinterimsummaryofevidenceandpreliminaryrecommendationstotheSQSthatwehadsaid,someyearsago,thatwewillprovidebymid‐2016,fortheInternationalGeologicalCongressinCapeTown,regardingpotentialformalizationoftheAnthropoceneontheGeologicalTimeScale.Sofar,sogood.However,oncethatfirst,rapidphaseofworkisdone,thatwillnotleaveourexplorationoftheAnthropoceneinawhollyfinishedstate.TheCUPbook,forinstance,isunlikelytobepublishedbymid‐2016,andwillneedsteeringthroughthevariouswritingandeditingstages.Wewillnotbythen

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havematureandexhaustivelyresearchedGSSPcandidatesfortheAnthropocene–thatisataskthatdemandssomemoretime–andalsosomeresourcesintheformoffundingforthesamplingandanalysesinvolved.Mostimportantly,theAnthropoceneisstillayoungconcept,withmuchtodevelopbothinits‘narrow’stratographicanalysisandasregardsitswiderrelationshipswithotherstudiesandothercommunities.Wemust,therefore,determine,whatistobecomeofuspost‐2016.Shouldwedisband,orshouldwestaytogetherasabody(officiallyorunofficially)tocontinuetopursueourstudyoftheAnthropocene(perhapswithinadifferentframework,andwithadifferentChair)?Giventhatwehavedevelopedsomethingofapositiveandproductivespirit,myfeelingisthatitwouldbegoodtocarryonthisworkinsomeway.However,thisisverymuchacollectiveenterprise,withcollectivedecision‐making.Soideaswelcome!JanZalasiewicz

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INAUGURALANTHROPOCENEWORKINGGROUPMEETING

Theinauguralmeeting,kindlyhostedandfinanciallysupportedbyHausderKulturenderWelt(HKW),Berlin,washeldonThursday16thOctober2014,followedbyanAthropoceneForumontheFridayandafieldtripandsubsequentface‐to‐faceexchangesontheSaturday.Thecompleteprogrammeof“TheAnthropoceneProject.AReport”forwhichthismeetingrepresentedaconstituentisavailableat:http://issuu.com/hkwberlin/docs/anthropoceneproject_areport_booklet?e=0/9566398Thisisabriefsummaryoftheevent.Thursday16thOctober2014

1.Introductions‐processofratificationandscheduleforthemeetingbyChair

KeyquestionsidentifiedbytheInternationalCommissiononStratigraphy

2.Isthereawell‐documentedandsignificantstratigraphicrecordforthe‘Anthropocene’onwhichtobaseitsrecognitionworldwideandtodefineaboundarywithunderlyingHolocenestrata?

3.Shouldthebaseofthe‘Anthropocene’bedefinedusingaphysicalreferencesection(‘goldenspike’orGSSP)orinsteadshoulditsbeginningbedefinedintermsofanumericaldate(GSSA)?

4.Isthe‘Anthropocene’aunitofEarthhistoryorhumanhistory?

5.Whatistheusefulnessofthe‘Anthropocene’asatimeunitandamaterialunittobevisualizedbygeoscientistsandotherinterestedcommunities?

6.Whatistherelativevalueofformalizingthe‘Anthropocene’chronostratigraphic/geochronologicalunitasopposedtoleavingitasaninformalterm?

DiscussiononhierarchyandwhentheAnthropoceneshouldbegin

7.ShoulditbedefinedasanEpochorAge?

8.“EarlyAnthropocene”optionlinkedwithagriculturaldevelopments

9.“IndustrialRevolution”option

10.Mid20thCenturyoptionlinkedwith“GreatAcceleration”

11.AfutureoptionforthestartoftheAnthropocene

12.Summaryofdiscussions

13.Wheredowegofromhere?Progresstowardsprovidingconsensusviews(orsummariesofcontrastingviews)ontheAnthropocenebytheAWG

AttendanceatOpeningCeremony

Friday17thOctober2014

HumanImpactsandTheirConsequences:Anopenforumontheoccasionof

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thefirstmeetingoftheAnthropoceneWorkingGroup

Welcome&Introduction(BerndScherer)

Part1:Threecases/proposalsforpotentialstratigraphicalbasisforthe

Anthropocene,showingscopeandbreadthofevidencefortheAnthropocene

andputtingitintogeohistoricperspective(Moderation:JanZalasiewicz)

ColinWaters:Evidenceforamid‐twentiethcenturyboundaryforthestartoftheAnthropocene

CanaradionuclidelayerassociatedwithatomicweaponstestingbeusedasakeysignaturethatdefinestheonsetoftheAnthropocene?Thiseventbroadlycoincideswiththe“GreatAcceleration”,apronouncedandsharpthresholdinhumanmodificationoftheglobalenvironment.Itisassociatedwithexpansionoftheurbanenvironment,developmentanddispersalofnovelmineralsandartefactsandchangesinagriculturalpractices,bothwithresultantdistinctivechemicalsignatures,increasedincursionintothemarineandsubsurfacerealms,and‘globalization’oftradeandtherelatedspreadofexoticspecies.

MattEdgeworth&DanRichter:ThearchaeosphereandEarth'sCriticalZoneinatime‐transgressiveAnthropocene

MarkWilliams:Willhuman‐inducedplanetarychangerankwithfundamentalstepchangesseenintheEarth’sdeephistory?

Part2:Threecasesdirectlylinkingscientificevidencetoimplications“on

theground”:(Moderation:ColinWaters)

MikeEllis:ConnectingclimatechangeandtheAnthropocene

TheconnectionbetweenclimatechangeandtheAnthropoceneiseasytorecognizeinonedirection:humansandthehumanprocessarethecauseoftheaccumulationofCO2intheatmosphereandocean,andinturn,increasedlevelsofCO2areleadingtoachangingclimate.Theotherdirectionislessobvious:isthereaconnection–asignal–ofclimatechangeintheevidencebasefortheAnthropocene?Afterall,themodernclimatehasbarelyincreasedinitsmeantemperaturebycloseto1°C.Thislecturewillprovidesomeconnectivetissuebetweenthetwo,highlightingboththephysicalsignalsofclimatechangewithintheAnthropoceneandthehuman‐processsignals.

JamesSyvitski:Changesinfluvialsystems,riversedimentsanddeltas

MomentumisbuildingtoofficiallydeclaretheAnthropoceneanewgeologicalepoch.HumansarechangingtheEarth’sbiophysicalsystem—atmosphericandoceanclimatologyandchemistry,extentofsnowcover,permafrostandsea‐ice,glacier,ice‐sheetandoceanvolume,andindeedthehydrologicalcycle.StrikingistheextentandrateatwhichhumanshavemodifiedEarth’slandsurface.Humansarenowthelargestforceinthemovementofsediment—greaterthanice,windandwater.WehavescarredtheEarth’ssurfacewithmillionsofabandonedminesthroughouttheworld.Wegloballymine8to9Gt/yofcoal,andglobalaggregate

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productionis13Gt/y.TogetherthesetwominingactivitiesgreatlyexceedsthetotalsedimentdeliverytotheglobaloceanbyallofEarth’srivers.Globalhydrauliccementproductionis2.2Gt/y,andglobalironoreproductionis2.2Gt/y.ThePalmIslandsofDubairequired3Gtofsand;theHongKongairportislandrequired0.6Gtofsediment.TheGreatWallofChinais~6,250,000mx7mx5mor~0.4Gtofbricks&stone.

Session2:Consequences(Moderation:BerndSchererandJanZalasiewicz)

DiscussingthequalityandmagnitudeoftheshiftposedbytheAnthropocene,criticalassessmentof(science‐)politicalsolutionpathwaysandaresearchagendabeyondsustainability,linkingscientificpracticewithsocietalrelevanceandlocaltoglobalstrategiesofknowledgeproduction

AndrewRevkin(PaceUniversity,dot.earthblog,FutureEarthIC):socialdebates

JoyeetaGupta(VrijeUniversiteitAmsterdam):environmentallawandpolitics

NaomiOreskes(HarvardUniversity):limitsofscientificengagement,politicalgridlock

KlausTöpfertbc(InstituteforAdvancedSustainabilityStudies):politicalleeways

JürgenRenn(MPIWGBerlin)–envisioninganadequateresearcharchitecture

PressLuncheon

Saturday18thOctober

FieldExcursion

1. Man‐madegeology. Teufelsberg,hiking. ExcursionledbyChristianSchwägerl(Anthropoceneprojectboardmember)

2. Dahlem‐birthplaceofAnthropocene‐relatedtechnologies(nuclearfission,Haber‐Boschprocessandothers). DahlemMaxPlanckInstitutes,talk.ExcursionledbyTomWernerfromMaxPlanckSociety,shortintroductionbyChristianSchwägerl(Author"TheAnthropocene",boardmember)

3. TempelhofAirfield:aprimesiteforurbannatureandparticipatorydecision‐making.ExcursionledbyTilmannHeuser,managingdirectorofFriendsoftheEarthBerlinandcoordinatorforfutureuseoftheairfieldappointedbyBerlingovernment,introductionbyChristianSchwägerl.

Exchanges

ExchangesinitiatesasetofdialoguesbetweenmembersoftheAnthropoceneWorkingGroupandsocialscientists,thinkers,andartists,aserialthreadofconversationsthatdrawsfromavastrangeofexpertises,disciplines,andpractices.Itsaimistoreflectonthe“what”and“how”ofknowledge‐articulationintheworld,takingthematerialEarthanditscombinedhistorywiththe“human”asastartingpointandcombiningitwithanideaoftheacademicasaconcerned

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citizen.Eachdialogueaddressestheconcreterangeofhands‐onpracticesthatemergefromepistemicinfrastructuresandworldviewsinplace,henceengagingwithresearchmethodsinthelaborfield,atthedeskorinthestudio.Thesedialoguesaskhowsuchvariedpractitionersfromthesciences,humanities,arts,andactivismmakeuseoftheir“everyday”matters,howtheirdiversepracticesareaffectedandwhattheyeffect.Whatinformstheirconceptsandwhatarethedifferencesintheirrespectiveterminologies?Howdotheseundergotransformationintheirencounterswithotherknowledge‐forms?Andhowcansuchmovementsoffluxbetweenandacrossspecificitiesofexpertiseconfigurepossiblepathwaysforestablishingmodesofcollaboration?

Participants:

NaomiOreskesandColinP.Summerhayes:PetrogeologyandDenial

PeterK.HaffandErichHörl:TechnosphereandTechnoecology

SimonPriceandEtienneTurpin:StratigraphyandUrbanism

JoyeetaGuptaandDavorVidas:WaterandLaw

GeoffreyBowkerandIrkaHajdas:GeoarchiveandLaboratory

SECONDANTHROPOCENEWORKINGGROUPMEETING

Thesecondmeeting,kindlyhostedandfinanciallysupportedbyMcDonaldInstituteforArchaeologicalResearchatCambridgeUniversity,washeldonTuesday24thandWednesday25thNovember2015.Thisprovidedtheopportunityforgroupmemberstointeractwithawideaudienceofarchaeologistsandtolearnofworkbeingcarriedoutbytheinstitute.

Tuesday24thNovember2015

1.Introductions‐fromrepresentativesofMcDonaldInstituteandAWGandoutlineofscheduleforthemeeting

SimonStoddart,JanZalasiewicz,MattEdgeworth

2.SummaryofmainissuesandthemesofAnthropocenedebateChair:JanZalasiewicz

ColinWaters

3.Comparisonbetweenchronostratigraphicandarchaeologicalapproachestodating.OutlineofGSSP/GSSAs.Synchrony/diachrony.Time‐transgressiveperiodboundaries(e.g.startofNeolithic/IronAge,etc)Chair:MattEdgeworth

JanZalasiewicz

4.Comparisonbetweenhowgeologistsmapartificialgroundandarchaeologistsalsodealwiththesameintervalaspartofthearchaeologicalrecord,anddiscussiononsoilsandlandscapes/anthromesChair:JanZalasiewicz

ColinWaters,MattEdgeworth,ErleEllis,RoryFlood,CraigCessford

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5.Artefactsandnovelmaterials.Chartingthefirstappearancesandspreadofnovelmaterials(frompotteryandglasstoconcreteandplastics)inthestratigraphicrecord.Theirpotentialuseasstratigraphicmarkers.Chair:JanZalasiewicz

ColinWaters,MattEdgeworth,MarkWilliams

Wednesday25thNovember2015

6.Changestobiota(humanly‐induced).Extinctionofspecies,domesticationofspecies,developmentofagriculture.Chair:JanZalasiewicz

JeremyBennett,MarcvanderLinden,TracyRogers

7.EarlyAnthropocenegeochemicalsignatures

IanFairchild,MichaelWagreich,RobynVeal,AlexWolfe,MartinJones

8.SummaryofdiscussionsandwheredowegofromhereJanZalasiewicz

SELECTEDPUBLICATIONS

TheWorkingGrouphaspublishedorhasinpressthefollowing:

1) Whendid theAnthropocenebegin? Amid‐twentiethcenturyboundarylevelisstratigraphicallyoptimal(2015):JanZalasiewicz,ColinN.Waters,MarkWilliams, Anthony D. Barnosky, Alejandro Cearreta, Paul Crutzen,ErleEllis,MichaelAEllis,IanJFairchild,JacquesGrinevald,PeterKHaff,Irka Hajdas, Reinhold Leinfelder, John McNeill, Eric O Odada, ClémentPoirier, Daniel Richter, Will Steffen, Colin Summerhayes, James P MSyvitski,DavorVidas,MichaelWagreich,ScottL.Wing,AlexanderP.WolfeandAnZhisheng.QuaternaryInternational,383,196‐203.

2) Diachronous beginnings of the Anthropocene: The lower boundingsurfaceofanthropogenicdeposits:MattEdgeworth,DanieldeB.Richter,ColinN.Waters, PeterHaff, CathNeal and Simon J. Price.AnthropoceneReview2(1),1‐26DOI:10.1177/2053019614565394.

3) ColonizationoftheAmericas,‘LittleIceAge’climate,andbomb‐producedcarbon:TheirroleindefiningtheAnthropocene(2015):JanZalasiewicz,ColinWaters,AnthonyDBarnosky,AlejandroCearreta,MattEdgeworth,ErleCEllis,AgnieszkaGałuszka,PhilipLGibbard,JacquesGrinevald,IrkaHajdas,JulianaIvardoSul,CatherineJeandel,ReinholdLeinfelder,JohnRMcNeill,ClémentPoirier,AndrewRevkin,DanieldeBRichter,WillSteffen,ColinSummerhayes,JamesPMSyvitski,DavorVidas, MichaelWagreich,MarkWilliamsandAlexanderPWolfe.AnthropoceneReview,2(2)117‐127.

4) .CannuclearweaponsfalloutmarkthebeginningoftheAnthropoceneEpoch?(2015)Waters,C.N.,Syvitski,J.P.M.,Gałuszka,A.,Hancock,G.J.,Zalasiewicz,J.,Cearreta,A.,Grinevald,J.,McNeill,J.R.,Summerhayes,C.andBarnosky,A.BulletinoftheAtomicScientists,71(3),46‐57.

5) TheAnthropocene is functionally and stratigraphicallydistinct from theHolocene (2016). Colin N.Waters, Jan Zalasiewicz, Colin Summerhayes,Anthony D. Barnosky, Clément Poirier, Agnieszka Gałuszka, AlejandroCearreta,Matt Edgeworth, Erle C. Ellis,Michael Ellis, Catherine Jeandel,

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ReinholdLeinfelder, J.R.McNeill,DanieldeB.Richter,WillSteffen, JamesSyvitski, Davor Vidas, Michael Wagreich, Mark Williams, An Zhisheng,Jacques Grinevald, Eric Odada, Naomi Oreskes and Alexander P. Wolfe.Science351issue6269,137.http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.aad2622

6) ThegeologicalcycleofplasticsandtheiruseasastratigraphicindicatoroftheAnthropocene.(2016).JanZalasiewicz;ColinNWaters;JulianaIvardoSul; Patricia L Corcoran;AnthonyDBarnosky; Alejandro Cearreta;MattEdgeworth;AgnieszkaGaluszka; Catherine Jeandel; Reinhold Leinfelder;JohnRMcNeill;WillSteffen;ColinSummerhayes;MichaelWagreich;MarkWilliams; Alexander P Wolfe; Yasmin Yonan. Anthropocene.http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ancene.2016.01.002

7) TheAnthropocene:aconspicuousstratigraphicalsignalofanthropogenicchanges in production and consumption across the biosphere (2016).MarkWilliams, Jan Zalasiewicz, Colin NWaters,Matt Edgeworth, CarysBennett, Anthony D Barnosky, Erle C Ellis, Michael A Ellis, AlejandroCearreta,PKHaff, JulianaA IvardoSul,ReinholdLeinfelder, JRMcNeill,Eric Odada, Naomi Oreskes, Daniel deB Richter, Will Steffen, ColinSummerhayes, JamesP Syvitski,DavorVidas,MichaelWagreich, Scott LWing,AlexanderWolfe,AnZhisheng.Earth’sFuture.

Additionalrelevantpublicationsbymembersoftheworkinggroupinclude: Benito, X.; Trobajo, R.; Ibáñez, C.; Cearreta, A. & Brunet, M. (2015).

Benthic foraminifera as indicators of habitat change in anthropogenically impacted coastal wetlands of the Ebro Delta (NE Iberian Peninsula). Marine Pollution Bulletin, 101: 163-173.

Cearreta, A. (2015). La definición geológica del Antropoceno según el Anthropocene Working Group (AWG) (Geological definition of the Anthropocene based on the Anthropocene Working Group publications). Enseñanza de las Ciencias de la Tierra, 23.

Cearreta, A. (2015). Los depósitos cuaternarios del (propuesto) Global Geosite Uribe Kosta (Bizkaia) y la cuestión del límite Holoceno-Antropoceno (Quaternary deposits of the proposed Global Geosite Uribe Kosta (Bizkaia) and the question of the Holocene-Anthropocene boundary). In: Hilario, A.; Mendia, M.; Monge, M.; Vegas, J. & Belmonte, A. (Eds.), Patrimonio Geológico y Geoparques, avances de un camino para todos. Cuadernos del Museo Geominero, 18: 37-42, Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, Madrid.

García-Artola, A.; Cearreta, A. & Leorri, E. (2015). Relative sea-level changes in the Basque coast (northern Spain, Bay of Biscay) during the Holocene and Anthropocene: the Urdaibai estuary case. Quaternary International, 364: 172-180.

Irabien, M.J.; García-Artola, A.; Cearreta, A. & Leorri, E. (2015). Chemostratigraphic and lithostratigraphic signatures of the Anthropocene in estuarine areas from the eastern Cantabrian coast (N. Spain). Quaternary International, 364: 196-205.

A Gałuszka and ZM Migaszewski (2015). Sediments of the Anthropocene. Reference Module in Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-409548-9.09476-8

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Daniel deB Richter, Allan R Bacon, Zachary Brecheisen and Megan L Mobley. Soil in the Anthropocene. IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 25 (2015) 012010 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/25/1/012010.

Edgeworth,M.,Waters,C.,Zalasiewicz,J.andStoddart,S.2016.SecondAnthropoceneWorkingGroupMeeting(ConferenceReport).TheEuropeanArchaeologist47,Winter2015/2016.Availableonlineat:http://e‐a‐a.org/TEA/cr2_47.pdf

C. P. Summerhayes, Earth's Climate Evolution (Wiley/Blackwell, 2015) 390pp.

Davor Vidas, Ole Kristian Fauchald, Øystein Jensen, Morten Walløe Tvedt 2015. International Law for the Anthropocene? Shifting perspectives in regulation of the oceans, environment and genetic resources. Anthropocene, 9, 1-15. doi:10.1016/j.ancene.2015.06.003

Williams,M.,Zalasiewicz,J.,Haff,P.K.,Schwägerl,C.,Barnosky,A.D.andEllis,E.C.2015.TheAnthropocenebiosphere.TheAnthropoceneReviewdoi:10.1177/2053019615591020.

Williams,M.,Zalasiewicz,J.,Davies,N.,Mazzini,I.,Goiran,J‐P,Kane,S.2015.Humansasthethirdevolutionarystageofbiosphereengineeringofrivers.Anthropocenehttp://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ancene.2015.03.003

Zalasiewicz,J.,Williams,M.,Waters,C.N.,Barnosky,A.D.andHaff,P.2014. The technofossil records of humans.AnthropoceneReview, Vol. 1(1),34‐43.

Zalasiewicz,J.,Waters,C.N.,andWilliams,M.2014.Humanbioturbation,andthesubterraneanlandscapeoftheAnthropocene.Anthropocene,Vol.6,3‐9.DOI:10.1016/j.ancene.2014.07.002.Availableonline24July2014.

J.Zalasiewicz,andM.Williams,ClimateChangethroughEarth'sHistory,in:T.M.Letcher(Ed.),ClimateChange:ObservedImpactsonPlanetEarth,Elsevier,2016,pp.3–17.

Mark Williams, Jan Zalasiewicz and Colin Waters (submitted). The Anthropocene: a geological perspective. In: Preconditions for Peaceful Coexistence in the Anthropocene.

Williams, M., Zalasiewicz, J. and Waters, C.N. (submitted). The Anthropocene: a geological perspective. Book part of Routledge Series on Transnational Law and Governance.

Zalasiewicz,J,Williams,M,Waters,CN.,Barnosky,A.D.andHaff,P.Inpress.Anthropocene.Origins.(OUP).

Zalasiewicz, J and Waters, C N. The Anthropocene. In press. OxfordResearchEncyclopediaofEnvironmentalScience.

Zalasiewicz,J.,Williams,M.andWaters,CN.Inpress.Anthropocene.KeywordsintheStudyofEnvironmentandCulture(editedbyJoniAdamson,WilliamA.Gleason,andDavidN.Pellow).NYUPress.

JanZalasiewicz,MarkWilliams,ColinN.Waters,AntonyD.Barnosky,PeterHaff,JohnPalmesino,Ann‐SofiRönnskog,MattEdgeworth&CathNeal(submitted).ScaleanddiversityofthephysicalTechnosphere:ageologicalperspective.

CambridgeUniversityPresshaveagreedtopublishabookontheAnthropocene(Editors/compilersareJanZalasiewicz,ColinWaters,MarkWilliams).Thisbook

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willbewrittenandcompiledbymembersoftheAnthropoceneWorkingGroup.ThebookwillprovideasummaryoftheevidenceoftheAnthropoceneassembledtodate,muchpublishedorresearchunderwaybymembersoftheWorkingGroup,butsummarizingalsothegrowingbodyofwiderAnthropoceneliterature.Ineffect,itwillformthebasisfortheAWG’ssubmissiontotheICS,togetherwithitsrecommendationsregardingwhetherornottheAnthropoceneisgeologically‘real’,whetherornotitshouldbeformalized,andhowitmightbecharacterizedanddefined.

Giventhisverybroadinterestinandconcernaboutthetopic,thisbook,whilerigorouslylayingouttechnicalgeologicalevidence,willnotbeacollectionofseparate,individually‐tomulti‐authoredpapersonthedifferentaspectsoftheAnthropocene.Rather,itisdesignedalsotobecoherentandaccessibletotheanticipatedwideaudience.

Therefore,therigorouslypresentedstratigraphicevidencewillbepresentedinamanneraccessibletopeoplefromabroadrangeofeducatedbackgrounds.ThelevelwillbegenerallythatofthemorejournalisticorgeneralreviewsectionsofNatureorScience(i.e.thesectionsprecedingthedetailedtechnicalpapers),andtheintroductorypartsofthebookwillprovideanynecessaryintroductionstostratigraphicalprinciplesandmethodology(suchashowolderunitsintheGeologicalTimeScaleareanalysedandassessed).

Thewidereadershipweexpectwillincludeteachersseekingmaterialtoputintotheircourses(therearenowanincreasingnumbersofuniversitymodules,acrossthedisciplines,thatinclude–orevenfocuson–theAnthropocene),anditwillbeaccessibletostudentstakingthosecoursestoo.

Weestimatealengthoftheorderof250pages,includingdiagramsandphotographs.

CONFERENCES

PresentationsattheSTRATI2015meetingatGrazon20thJuly2015;a).ontheevidenceforepochstatusoftheAnthropocenebyColinWatersandb)anEarlyAnthropoceneminingstratigraphicmarkerbyMichaelWagreich.

SessionatXIXINQUACongress:QuaternaryPerspectivesonClimateChange,NaturalHazardsandCivilization27July‐2August,2015,inNagoya,Japan.

AnthropozänEinNeuesErdzeitalter?7December2015,Vienna.PresentationbyMichaelWagreich.

AGUsessionson14thDecember2015a)“Natureandhumans,economicsandlaw,micromotivatorsandmacrobehaviors,theAnthropoceneandthetechnosphere:Howarewedoingatputtingitalltogether?”b)GC14B:DatingtheAnthropocene:EarlyLandUseandEarthSystemChangeII.ErleEllishasablogpostdescribingtheearlylandusesessionatAGU:http://ecotope.org/blog/what‐time‐is‐it‐early‐anthropocene‐research‐straw‐poll‐theagu/

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The 15th Congress of French sedimentologists held on 13-15 October 2015 with a special Anthropocene symposium http://asf2015.sciencesconf.org/resource/page/id/44#symposium2 .

“Strata: art and science collaborations in the Anthropocene” is a symposium held at Aberystwyth University Arts Centre on Friday 15th January.

Specificpresentations: Benito,X.;Cearreta,A.;Trobajo,R.&Ibáñez,C.,Naturaland

anthropogenicchangesinaMediterraneandeltaasreconstructedfrombenthicforaminiferalassemblages,2015AquaticSciencesMeeting,Granada(E),22‐27February2015.

Benito,X.;Cearreta,A.;Trobajo,R.;Brunet,M.&Ibáñez,C.,NaturalandanthropogenicchangesinaMediterraneandeltaasreconstructedfrombenthicforaminiferalassemblages,InternationalSymposiumCLIMATE‐ES2015,Tortosa(E),11‐13March2015.

García‐Artola,A.,Cearreta,A.,Horton,B.P.,Saltmarshesandsea‐levelriseadaptationinN.Spain,2015AmtrakClubMeeting,Newark(USA),14‐16May2015.

Cearreta,A.,ElAnthropoceneWorkingGroupyladefinicióngeológicadelAntropoceno(TheAnthropoceneWorkingGroupandthegeologicaldefinitionoftheAnthropocene),14thSpanishMeetingonQuaternary,Granada(E),30June‐02July2015.

Irabien,M.J.;Cearreta,A.&García‐Artola,A.,ElAntropocenoenelCantábricooriental:Quimioestratigrafíaisotópicadelplomoensedimentosestuarinos(TheAnthropoceneintheEasternCantabriancoast:Pbisotopicchemostratigraphyinestuarinesediments),14thSpanishMeetingonQuaternary,Granada(E),30June‐02July2015.

Benito,X.;Cearreta,A.;Trobajo,R.;Brunet,M.&Ibáñez,C.,NaturalandanthropogenicchangesinaMediterraneandeltausingbenthicforaminifera,ECSA55‐Estuariesandcoastalareasinarapidlychangingworld,Londres(UK),06‐09September2015.

Cearreta,A.;Irabien,M.J.&López,I.,RegeneraciónambientalduranteelAntropoceno:¿UnanuevapáginaenlahistoriadelaRíadeBilbao?(EnvironmentalregenerationduringtheAnthropocene:AnewpageinthehistoryoftheBilbaoestuary?),8thSymposiumontheIberianAtlanticMargin,Málaga(E),21‐23September2015.

Cearreta,A.,Registrodelnivelmarinodesdehacedécadas,siglosymilenios:elarchivogeológicodelacostavasca(Sea‐levelrecordatdecades,centuriesandmillennia:thegeologicalarchiveoftheBasquecoast),Uhinak‐ISpanish‐FrenchMeetingonClimateChangeandtheCoastalArea,Irun(E),6‐7October2015.

AthematicsessiondevotedtotheAnthropocenegeologicalrecordwasincludedinthe14thSpanishMeetingonQuaternaryheldinGranada(E),30June‐02July2015.ThissessionorganisedbyA.CearretaandJ.Remondohadplaceon2Julyand6differentoralcommunicationswerepresented:

ElAnthropoceneWorkingGroupylaDefiniciónGeológicadelAntropoceno(TheAnthropoceneWorkingGroupandthegeologicaldefinitionoftheAnthropocene),byCearreta,A.

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TheGreatAcceleration,IntensificationofGeomorphicHazardsandtheStartingPointoftheAnthropocene,byForte,L.M.;Hurtado,M.A.;Bruschi,V.;Bonachea,J.;Remondo,J.;Gomez‐Arozamena,J.;daSilva,M.;Cavallotto,J.L.;Dantas‐Ferreira,M.;Pejon,O.J.;Zuquette,L.V.&Cendrero,A.

ElAntropocenoenelCantabricoOriental:QuimioestratigrafíaIsotópicadelPlomoenSedimentosEstuarinos(TheAnthropoceneintheEasternCantabriancoast:Pbisotopicchemostratigraphyinestuarinesediments),byIrabien,M.J.;Cearreta,A.&Garcia‐Artola,A.

EvidenciasdelAntropocenoenelCantábricoOriental(AnthropoceneevidencesintheeasternCantabrianarea),byRemondo,J.;Bonachea,J.;Rivas,V.;Bruschi,V.;Gomez‐Arozamena,J.;Gonzalez‐Diez,A.;DiazDeTeran,J.R.&Cendrero,A.

DatacióneInterpretacióndelaSedimentaciónRecienteenEstuariosmediantelaTécnicade210Pbenexceso(DatingandinterpretationoftherecentestuarinesedimentationusingexcessPb210),byAlonso,M.;Remondo,J.;Bonachea,J.;Fuffa,E.;Mananes,A.&Cendrero,A.

TheAnthropoceneintheHumidPampa,Argentina.AccelerationofGeomorphicProcessesandGenerationofRenewableGeologicResources?,byForte,L.M.;Hurtado,M.A.;Dangvas,N.V.;Couyoupetrou,L.;Bruschi,V.&Cendrero,A.

ElAntropoceno¿Estamosenunnuevotiempogeológico?(Anthropocene:Areweinanewgeologicaltime?),organizedbyZientziateka‐CátedradeCulturaCientíficaoftheUPV/EHU,Bilbao(E),14April2015.(www.eitb.eus/es/divulgacion/detalle/3128934/zientziateka‐‐el‐antropoceno‐estamos‐nuevo‐tiempo‐geologico/).

ElAntropoceno¿Nuevotiempogeológicooculturapop?(Anthropocene:Anewgeologicaltimeorpopculture?),organizedbyAlavesia‐AsociacióndeAmigosdelMuseodeCienciasNaturalesdeÁlava,Vitoria‐Gasteiz(E),16April2015.

ElAntropoceno:¿Hemossacadoalplanetadesufuncionamientogeológiconatural?(Anthropocene:Havewemovedtheplanetoutsideitsnaturalgeologicalfunctioning?),organizedbyGeoparkea‐GeoparquedelaCostaVasca,Zumaia(E),28May2015.

Antropoceno:¿Vivimosenunnuevotiempogeológico?(Anthropocene:Arewelivinginanewgeologicaltime?),organizedbyEkologistakMartxanBizkaia,Bilbao(E),21October2015.

ElAntropoceno:¿Vivimosenunnuevotiempogeológico?(Anthropocene:Arewelivinginanewgeologicaltime?),organizedbyMuseodeDinosaurios/FundaciónparaelEstudiodelosDinosauriosenCastillayLeón,SalasdelosInfantes(E),7November2015.

DanRichterandGarySpositopresentedatthe2015AnnualSoilScienceSocietyofAmericaMeetingsontherelevanceofVirgilandespeciallyhisamazing"Georgics."

ColinSummerhayespresentedatalkonthe"TheAnthropocene"tothestudentsofthePost‐graduateCertificateinAntarcticStudies(PCAS)intheGatewayAntarcticaprogrammeoftheUniversityofCanterbury,Christchurch,NZ,on23Nov2015.

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OnJan15ColinSummerhayesgavealectureon"TheAnthropocene‐ANewGeologicalEpochDrivenbyHumanImpacts"totheSchoolofGeography,EnvironmentandEarthSciencesatVictoriaUniversity,Wellington,NZ.

Colin Summerhayes gave an extended version of the talk, entitled "The Anthropocene - a New Geological Epoch Driven by Human Impacts" on 15th Jan 2016, at Victoria University Earth Science Department, Wellington, NZ.

Jacques Grinevald presentation to Aleandre Koyré is “De l'Année Géophysique Internationale au Global Change : socio-épistémologie et histoire des sciences du système climatique et du Système Terre”.

Future conferences: A thematic session devoted to the Anthropocene geological record will be

included in the 14th Spanish Meeting on Quaternary was held in Granada, June-July 2015.

35th International Geological Congress 27 August - 4 September 2016 | Cape Town, South Africa http://www.35igc.org/

MEDIATheZalasiewiczetal.paperonanthroturbationisaleadstoryinthebiggestonlinenewsmagazineinGermany:http://www.spiegel.de/wissenschaft/natur/anthropozaen‐debatte‐um‐neues‐geologisches‐zeitalter‐durch‐menschen‐a‐987349.htmlFromAndrewRevkin:TwoClimateAnalystsWeightheNotionofa‘Good’PathintheAnthropocenehttp://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/06/22/two‐climate‐researchers‐weigh‐the‐notion‐of‐a‐good‐path‐in‐the‐anthropocene/?_php=true&_type=blogs&module=BlogPost‐ReadMore&version=Blog%20Main&action=Click&contentCollection=Anthropocene&pgtype=Blogs&region=Body&_r=0GuardianarticlepublishedatthetimeoftheinauguralAWGmeeting[needslink].ReportontheAWGinauguralmeetinginanarticlecalled”TheAnthropocene”.In:GeoQ,thequarterlynewsletteroftheEuropeanGeosciencesUnion(EGU)http://www.egu.eu/newsletter/geoq/12/MediaPart30January2015byMicheldePracontalwithinterviewswithJanZalasiewicz,ColinWatersandMattEdgeworth.ArticlefortheEconomist'sIntelligentLifemagazinebyHelenGordon.InterviewswithJanZalasiewicz,ColinWatersandPhilGibbard.PBSNOVAdocumentaryseries‐TheAntrhopocenebyPioneerProductions.'Anthropocene',thedocumentaryfilmedbySteveBradshawandproducedbyJennyRichardsreceivedfirstpublicscreeninginDenmark,onNovember7th‐whereit'sbeeninvitedtolaunchattheCopenhagenDocumentaryFilmFestival

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(CPH:DOX2015).WillSteffen,ErleEllis,JanZalasiewicz,AndrewRevkin,JohnMcNeil,EricOdadaandDavorVidasallappearasinterviewees.Informationonthefilmisavailableathttp://www.anthropocenethemovie.com/FilmingforafeaturedocumentarybyJenniferBaichwalandNickdePencier(MercuryFilms)withinterviewsofJanZalasiewicz,ColinWaters,AlexCearreta,JamesSyvitski.JanZalasiewiczandPhilGibbarddidaninterviewwithHelenGordonfortheEconomist'sIntelligentLife,appearingintheNov/Decissueavailableonlinehere:https://www.intelligentlifemagazine.com/features/the‐human‐layerArticleinLeMondeFrance2ndJanuary2016onProspective2016PlanèteincludinginterviewswithcommentsbyJacquesGrinevald,CatherineJeandelandJanZalasiewicz.LaCroixarticle“Sommes‐nousentrésdansunenouvelleèregéologiques?”andJacquesGrinevaldwasinterviewedinanarticleshownonTéléJournalhttp://www.rts.ch/play/tv/19h30/video/les‐avis‐des‐specialistes‐divergent‐sur‐la‐nouvelle‐ere‐geologique‐lanthropocene?id=7446863ThepublicationinSciencegeneratedmuchmediainterest.AselectionofinterviewscarriedoutbyAWGareincludedbelow:ColinWatersTheBloombergCarbonClockhttp://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016‐01‐07/welcome‐to‐the‐anthropocene‐five‐signs‐earth‐is‐in‐a‐man‐made‐epochDiscoveryChannelNewshttp://news.discovery.com/earth/rocks‐fossils/the‐human‐epoch‐what‐well‐leave‐behind‐photos‐160107.htm#mkcpgn=rssnws1?&tc=emlInternationalBusinessTimeshttp://www.ibtimes.co.uk/anthropocene‐epoch‐5‐reasons‐why‐scientists‐suggest‐we‐should‐make‐new‐chapter‐earth‐1536869TheHinduhttp://www.thehindu.com/opinion/the‐new‐epoch‐brought‐on‐by‐humans/article8086190.ece?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS_Syndication&tc=emlBBCWorldServiceandBBCwebsitehttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science‐environment‐35259194Reutershttp://www.trust.org/item/20160107190210‐wn2dg/SmithsonianMagazinehttp://www.smithsonianmag.com/science‐nature/scientists‐anthropocene‐officially‐thing‐180957742/ThinkProgressWashingtonDChttp://thinkprogress.org/climate/2016/01/07/3736892/humans‐caused‐a‐new‐planet‐epoch/ScientificAmericanhttp://www.scientificamerican.com/article/humans‐leave‐a‐telltale‐residue‐on‐earth/ 

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GuardianNewspaperhttp://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jan/07/human‐impact‐has‐pushed‐earth‐into‐the‐anthropocene‐scientists‐sayWashingtonPosthttps://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy‐environment/wp/2016/01/07/scientists‐say‐humans‐have‐now‐brought‐on‐an‐entirely‐new‐geologic‐epoch/JustinHaywardCBCNationalRadioCanadahttp://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/anthropocene‐paper‐1.3393823

El Mundo Newspaper Spain (in Spanish)  http://www.elmundo.es/ciencia/2016/01/07/568e7685e2704ee97b8b459c.htmlFolhadeS.PauloNewspaperBrazilClimateWireWashingtonDCElConfidencialSpainLiveradiointerviewwithJohnMaythamRadio702andCapeTalk(SouthAfrica)AtlasObscurawebsiteArsTechnicawebsiteHuffingtonPostwebproductionMuyInteresanteH‐Alter.orgwebsitehttp://www.h‐alter.org/vijesti/zaboravite‐holocen‐dobrodosli‐u‐antropocenJohnBatchelorShow,radioacrossNewYorktoWashingtonDCTVinterviewforBrazilianGloboNews.AlexCearretaElhuyar science journal http://aldizkaria.elhuyar.eus/albisteak/giza-garai-geologiko-berri-baten-atarian-gaude/ (in Basque)La Vanguardia newspaper http://www.pressreader.com/spain/la-vanguardia-1a-edicion/20160109 (in Spanish)Catalunya Vanguardista magazine http://www.catalunyavanguardista.com/catvan/el-antropoceno-una-realidad-demostrable/ (in Spanish)Radio Euskadi, Basque public radio station La Mecánica del Caracol http://audios.ak.cdn.eitb.com/multimedia/audios/2016/01/15/1854892/20160115_18150703_0008187715_002_001_MECANICA_PRO.mp3?_ga=1.263457359.2141214524.1422096728 (in Spanish)Radio Euskadi, Basque public radio station Más que Palabras http://www.eitb.eus/es/radio/radio-euskadi/programas/masquepalabras/ciencia/audios/detalle/3817902/el-antropoceno-alejandro-cearretaradio-euskadi/ (in Spanish)ErleEllisCBSinWashingtonDCUMBCwebsitenewsitemhttp://news.umbc.edu/science‐article‐argues‐earth‐has‐entered‐a‐new‐epoch‐defined‐by‐human‐impacts‐on‐the‐planet/ClimateProgresswebsitehttp://thinkprogress.org/climate/2016/01/07/3736892/humans‐caused‐a‐new‐planet‐epoch/Reuters

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http://www.reuters.com/article/us‐environment‐anthropocene‐idUSKBN0UL29O20160107AgnieszkaGałuszkaLiveradiointerviewwithKarolinaGłowacka,RadioTOKFMhttp://audycje.tokfm.pl/odcinek/Zyjemy‐w‐antropocenie‐Odpowiadala‐prof‐Agnieszka‐Galuszka/33218LudwikaTomalafromthePolishPressAgencyforwebsitehttp://naukawpolsce.pap.pl/aktualnosci/news,407939,badacze‐zbieraja‐dowody‐na‐to‐ze‐trwa‐antropocen.htmlPhilGibbardFinnishTV(YLENews).http://yle.fi/uutiset/ihmisen_mukaan_nimetty_aikakausi_on_ehka_alkanut_maapallolla__suurin_muutos_sitten_jaakauden/8585291ClementPoirierFrenchnewspaperLaCroix(shouldbepublishedonJanuary19th)ColinSummerhayesInterviewon"TheAnthropocene"(sametopic)tojournalistAllisonBallance,RadioNZ,inWellington.RadiointerviewinNZ.Seehttp://www.radionz.co.nz/ourchangingworldInterviewwithanotherRadioNZreporter,inChristchurchhttp://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/201787115/changed‐planet,‐the‐dawning‐of‐the‐anthropocene.WillSteffenAustralianmediacoverage:ABC(AustralianBroadcastingCorporation)RadioNationalbreakfastshow,Macquarieradio,Sydney–short“grabs”“It’slife,butnotasweknewit:scientistshailanewepoch”,SydneyMorningHerald,Saturday‐Sunday,(Author:SydneyPead,withPeterHannam).http://www.smh.com.au/environment/humanitys‐impact‐on‐earth‐opens‐anthropocene‐epoch‐scientists‐say‐20160107‐gm1nwt.htmlSamearticleappearedintheCanberraTimes,Saturday9JanuaryAustralasianSciencemagazinePolicyForum,CrawfordSchoolofPublicPolicy,TheAustralianNationalUniversityMichaelWagreichAPA(theAustriaPresseAgentur)Interviewswith:NeueZürcherZeitung(Switzerland)Standard(Austria)‐theywillprobablyincludealongerarticleinasciencesupplementendofJanuaryKurier(Austria)‐alongerarticlesometimesinthefuturetoappearandIwilltakepartonaface‐to‐faceconfrontationabouttheAnthropocenefortheAustrianradiobroadcastingOE1.

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ScottWingSmithsonianMagazinehttp://www.smithsonianmag.com/science‐nature/scientists‐anthropocene‐officially‐thing‐180957742/AlexWolfeCBCWorldat6Radiointerviewhttp://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/anthropocene‐paper‐1.3393823RadioCanada(inFrench)http://ici.radio‐canada.ca/emissions/la_croisee/2015‐2016/index.asphttp://edmontonjournal.com/business/new‐geological‐era‐embargo‐2‐pm‐jan‐7?__lsa=f71f‐144ahttp://www.rcinet.ca/en/2016/01/07/from‐the‐holocene‐epoch‐to‐the‐anthropocene‐and‐human‐dominance/http://www.calgarysun.com/2016/01/07/scientists‐pitch‐anthropocene‐epoch‐to‐recognize‐earths‐new‐era‐our‐ownhttp://www.alaskahighwaynews.ca/changed‐our‐world‐scientists‐say‐new‐era‐in‐earth‐s‐history‐needs‐recognition‐1.2146105http://cnews.canoe.com/CNEWS/Science/2016/01/07/22590775.htmlhttp://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2016/01/08/anthropocene‐new‐geological‐era_n_8940336.htmlhttps://soundcloud.com/am1150/alex‐wolfe‐new‐geological‐epochhttps://thegatewayonline.ca/2016/01/u‐of‐a‐researcher‐co‐authors‐anthropocene/JanZalasiewiczRadioFiveLiveDriveTimeFriday8thJan

OTHERNEWS 

ProfessorJacquesGrinevaldwasawardedtheNicholasGeorgescu‐RoegenAwardsfor2015forUnconventialthinking.

MEMBERSHIPTODATEListedherearenamesofmemberstodateandtheircontactdetails.TonyBarnoskyUniversityofCalifornia,3060ValleyLifeSciencesBldg#3140Berkeley,California94720,USAe‐mail:barnosky@berkeley.eduAlejandroCearretaMicropaleontología,FacultaddeCienciayTecnologíaUniversidaddelPaísVasco/EHUApartado644,48080Bilbao,Spaine‐mail:alejandro.cearreta@ehu.es

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PaulCrutzenMax‐Planck‐InstituteforChemistry,DepartmentofAtmosphericChemistry,POBox3060,D‐55020Mainz,Germany.e‐mail:paul.crutzen@mpic.deMattEdgeworthHonoraryResearchFellow,SchoolofArchaeologyandAncientHistory,UniversityRoad,Leicester,LE17RH.e‐mail:me87@le.ac.ukErleEllisDepartmentofGeography&EnvironmentalSystems,211SondheimHall,UniversityofMaryland,BaltimoreCounty,1000HilltopCircle,Baltimore,MD21250USAe‐mail:ece@umbc.eduMikeEllisBritishGeologicalSurvey,Keyworth,NottinghamNG125GG,UKe‐mail:mich3@bgs.ac.ukIanFairchildSchoolofGeography,EarthandEnvironmentalSciencesUniversityofBirminghamB152TT,UKe‐mail:i.j.fairchild@bham.ac.ukAgnieszkaGałuszkaInstituteofChemistry,JanKochanowskiUniversity15GŚwiętokrzyskaSt,25‐406Kielce,Poland.e‐mail:aggie@ujk.edu.plPhilipGibbardDepartmentofGeography,UniversityofCambridge,DowningStreet,CambridgeCB23ENUKe‐mail:plg1@cam.ac.ukJacquesGrinevaldIHEID,CheminEugèneRigot2,1211Genève11Switzerlande‐mail:jacques.grinevald@graduateinstitute.chPeterHaffNicholasSchooloftheEnvironment,DukeUniversity103OldChemBox90320DurhamNC27708USAe‐mail:pkhaff@gmail.comIrkaHajdasLaboratoryofIonBeamPhysics,ETHOtto‐Stern‐Weg5,8093Zurich,Switzerland

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e‐mail:hajdas@phys.ethz.chAlanHaywoodSchoolofEarthandEnvironment,UniversityofLeeds,LeedsLS29JT,UKe‐mail:A.M.Haywood@leeds.ac.ukJulianaAssunçãoIvardoSulAssociationofPolarEarlyCareerScientists‐ScientificCoordinator,Brazile‐mail:julianasul@gmail.comCatherineJeandelLEGOS(CNRS/CNES/IRD/UniversitéPaulSabatier),14avenueEdouardBelin,31400Toulouse,Francee‐mail:catherine.jeandel@legos.obs‐mip.frReinholdLeinfelderDept.ofGeologicalSciences,FreieUniversitätBerlin,Malteserstraße74‐100,buildingD,D‐12249Berlin,Germanye‐mail:reinhold.leinfelder@fu‐berlin.deJohnMcNeillGeorgetownUniversityWashingtonDCe‐mail:mcneillj@georgetown.eduCathNealDepartmentofArchaeology,UniversityofYork,King’sManor,YorkYO17EP,UKemail:cath.neal@york.ac.ukEricOdadaGeology Department, University of Nairobi, Chiromo Campus, Riverside DriveP.O.Box30197.Nairobi,Kenyae‐mail:eodada@uonbi.ac.keNaomiOreskesDepartmentoftheHistoryofScience,HarvardUniversity,Cambridge,MA02138,USAe‐mail:oreskes@fas.harvard.eduClémentPoirierMorphodynamiqueContinentaleetCôtière,UniversitédeCaenBasseNormandie,CNRS;24ruedesTilleuls,F‐14000Caen,Francee‐mail:Clement.poirier@unicaen.frSimonPriceDepartmentofGeography,UniversityofCambridge,DowningStreet,CambridgeCB23ENUKe‐mail:sjp215@cam.ac.uk

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AndrewRevkinDotEarthblogger,TheNewYorkTimeshttp://www.nytimes.com/dotearthSeniorFellow,PaceAcad.forAppliedEnv.Studiesrevkin@gmail.comDanRichterNicholasSchooloftheEnvironmentDukeUniversity,Durham,NorthCarolina,USAe‐mail:drichter@duke.eduMaryScholesSchool of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of theWitwatersrand,Johannesburg,SouthAfricae‐mail:mary.scholes@wits.ac.zaVictoriaC.SmithResearchLaboratoryforArchaeologyandtheHistoryofArtDysonPerrinsBuilding,SouthParksRd,Oxford,OX13QYe‐mail:victoria.smith@rlaha.ox.ac.ukWillSteffenTheAustralianNationalUniversity,CanberraACT0200,Australia.e‐mail:will.steffen@anu.edu.auColinSummerhayesEmeritusAssociate,ScottPolarResearchInstitute,UniversityofCambridge,UKe‐mail:cps32@cam.ac.ukJamesSyvitskiInstituteofArcticandAlpineResearch,UniversityofColorado,Boulder,USAe‐mail:james.syvitski@colorado.eduDavorVidasDirector,MarineAffairsandLawoftheSeaProgrammeSeniorResearchFellow,TheFridtjofNansenInstitute,Norwaye‐mail:Davor.Vidas@fni.noMichaelWagreichDepartmentofGeodynamicsandSedimentologyCenterforEarthSciences,UniversityofViennaAlthanstrasse14,A‐1090Vienna,Austriae‐mail:michael.wagreich@univie.ac.atColinWaters(Secretary)BritishGeologicalSurvey,Keyworth,Nottingham,NG125GG,UKe‐mail:cnw@bgs.ac.ukMarkWilliams

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DepartmentofGeology,UniversityofLeicester,UniversityRoad,LeicesterLE17RH,UKe‐mail:mri@le.ac.ukScottWingDept.ofPaleobiology,MuseumofNaturalHistorySmithsonianInstitution,Washington,DCe‐mail:wings@si.eduAlexWolfeDepartmentofBiologicalSciencesUniversityofAlberta,EdmontonABT6G2E3,Canadae‐mail:awolfe@ualberta.caJanZalasiewicz(Chair)DepartmentofGeology,UniversityofLeicester,UniversityRoad,LeicesterLE17RH,UKe‐mail:jaz1@le.ac.ukAnZhisheng(Xi’an)State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of EarthEnvironment,ChineseAcademyofSciences,Xi'an710061,Chinae‐mail:anzs@loess.llqg.ac.cn

ANTHROPOCENEWORKINGGROUP:PROGRAMMEFOR2016A thirdWorking Groupmeetingwill be held under the auspices and financialsupportoftheFridtjofNansenInstitute,Oslo,Norwayonthe22‐23April2016.This isplannedasan internalmeeting todiscuss contentof theCUPbookandworkrelatedtotheupcomingIGCmeeting.35th International Geological Congress (Cape Town, South Africa, 27 Aug – 4Sept 2016) where we would hope to present an interim statement on ourdeliberations.Afewotherpossibilitiesare:• A synthesis of numerical dating techniques relevant to dating theAnthropocene, building on the paper by Hancock focussing on plutonium onsediments; this would include related ‘bomb spike’ phenomena such asradiocarbon, annual varves, and the use of other stratigraphic signals (e.g.differenttypesoftechnofossils)thatwecaninterpretthroughtheexistenceofadatedhistoricalcontext. PossiblemanuscriptontheUtilityoftheAnthropoceneasaformalname–

GeologicalargumentsJanZalasiewicz(Chair)ColinWaters(Secretary)