Anthropocene

Hoverboards, fusion, and future farms: What did Back to the Future (II) get right?

Asmae Ourkiya July 3, 2025

Image source: Bandas sonoras de cine

Fourty years ago, the movie Back to the Future (1985) revved its DeLorean into some hearts, zipping watchers back to 1955 with a grin and a flux capacitor–fueled paradox. Today we’re not just celebrating that original joyride’s 40th anniversary; we’re strapping in for the wild flight of Part II (1989), the movie that dared to ask, “what if Marty McFly really could hoverboard through 2015?” W ...[Read More]

The EGU Great Debate: About the Anthropocene, scientists and comfort zones?

Maria Scheel April 19, 2024

Are we as scientists still in an elitist bubble, or do we need to glue ourselves to streets and buy tractors for protest? Somewhere along the lines of finding and leaving comfort zones versus the need to become uncomfortable while many globally already are, is the setting of this year’s EGU great debate (Image Credit: Maria Scheel).

EGU has hosted a Great Debate with world-renowned climate scientists and activists about the growing human impact on our natural and social environment for many years. There are many aspects to the debate, from voting bad politicians out, to communication duties of scientists, the interconnection of a need for social equity and decarbonization, and more. In this blog post, I want to focus o ...[Read More]

Living in a new Age

Robert Emberson September 14, 2018

The International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS) has updated the timeline for Earth’s full geologic history, dividing the Holocene into three distinct periods. What does that mean for the Anthropocene? (Photo: East Khasi Hills in Megahalaya, India. The state is the namesake of the new geological age. Credit: Sai Avinash via Wikimedia Commons)

If you were suddenly told you were living in a different time period, what would your immediate reaction be? Changes in the calendar – even if it’s just terminology – have proven emotive in the past. In 1752, when England shifted from the Julian to Gregorian calendars, and 11 days were cut from 1752 to catch up, there are suggestions that civil unrest ensued. Once again, the name of the period in ...[Read More]

July GeoRoundUp: the best of the Earth sciences from around the web

Olivia Trani August 1, 2018

The Mars Express spacecraft probing the southern hemisphere of Mars. Credit: ESA/INAF/Davide Coero Borga.

Drawing inspiration from popular stories on our social media channels, as well as unique and quirky research news, this monthly column aims to bring you the best of the Earth and planetary sciences from around the web. Major stories Signs of water 55 million kilometres away Last week scientists announced that they have found signs of existing water on Mars, offering new hope to the possibility o ...[Read More]