Resumen de Telling Time: Chemistry Education in the Anthropocene Epoch
An International Union of Geological Sciences working group is expected to soon formalize a determination that we have moved from the Holocene to the Anthropocene Epoch on the geologic time scale. In addition to reaching consensus on the scientific evidence for this change, this initiative is meant to raise awareness in other scientific communities of the effects of large-scale human activity on fundamental earth system parameters. In parallel, work is being done to understand the resiliency of our planet to the large human footprint, and to define and quantify the planetary boundaries that define a safe operating space for humanity. Many of these planetary boundaries are quantified by chemical measurements. We explore the implications of these parallel developments for chemistry educators.
