Living in the Anthropocene (LIVN-UF)

Living in the Anthropocene: A History of Biodiversity and Climate Change. With recent population growth and substantive consumption, our species has impacted the Earth to such an unprecedented extent that a new geologic time period has been proposed: the Anthropocene, or Age of Humans. This class investigates related physical (geological and geographical), chemical, and biological processes through global and local lenses, and over deep time. The diversification of life and the five past mass extinctions are explored in-depth, after which modern topics of conservation concern such as climate change, biodiversity loss, environmental health, and disease are focused on. Ultimately the class addresses the following questions: "Are we in the 6th Mass Extinction?", and "Are we in a new geologic time, the Anthropocene?" Students will experience events throughout New York City and beyond related to critical environmental issues, including local field trips, talks, and screenings that highlight course topics. Connections to juniors' global sites of study are emphasized to cover historical biogeography, biodiversity, and climate change in an increasingly human-dominated world.