The Anthropocene is a conceit of human exceptionalism

Peter Brannen has an interesting piece in the Atlantic, pointing out that the Anthropocene is more of a geological event rather than an epoch, at least so far. Humans are now living in a new geological epoch of our own making: the Anthropocene. Or so we’re told. Whereas some epochs in Earth history stretch more … Continue reading The Anthropocene is a conceit of human exceptionalism

Microbes May Have Fueled Permian Extinction, Earth’s Biggest

A microbial feeding frenzy may have fueled the biggest mass extinction in Earth's history, new research suggests. The findings suggest that bacteria, with a little help from massive volcanism, produced large quantities of methane, thereby killing 90 percent of life on the planet. more at Microbes May Have Fueled Permian Extinction, Earth's Biggest. I've often wondered … Continue reading Microbes May Have Fueled Permian Extinction, Earth’s Biggest