Age of Man
Noun 1. The most recent geological period, characterized by the presence and dominance of human beings (Homo sapiens) on Earth. This term refers to the current epoch in geological time, specifically the Quaternary period, encompassing the last approximately 2.6 million years. It is marked by significant climatic changes, ice ages, and the evolution and proliferation of the genus Homo.
The term "age of man" is used in scientific, particularly geological and anthropological, contexts to denote the current period in Earth's history where human activity is a dominant force. It is often used synonymously with informal terms for the Anthropocene, though it has a broader, more established geological definition.
Examples: * Many scientists study the climate fluctuations that have occurred during the age of man. * The fossil record from the age of man shows the rapid development of human tools and culture. * Geological strata from the age of man contain distinct markers of human influence.
- Capitalization: In formal geological writing, the term is often capitalized as the "Age of Man" when referring to it as a specific chronological unit.
- The Pleistocene and Holocene epochs are subdivisions of the Age of Man.
- Conceptual Use: The phrase can be used more philosophically or culturally to discuss the era of human civilization and its impact.
- The novel explores the anxieties of the age of man, questioning humanity's legacy on the planet.
- Quaternary Period: The formal geological name for the time period covering the last 2.6 million years, which includes the "age of man."
- Anthropocene: A proposed but not yet officially ratified geological epoch referring to the period during which human activity has been the dominant influence on climate and the environment. This is a more recent and specific concept than the broader "age of man."
- Holocene Epoch: The current geological epoch, starting about 11,700 years ago after the last major ice age, which falls within the "age of man."
- Pleistocene Epoch: The geological epoch from about 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago, characterized by repeated glacial cycles, also within the "age of man."
- Age of Humans
- Human Era
- Quaternary Period (formal synonym)
- Dawn of man: Refers to the very beginning of this age, focusing on the emergence of early hominins.
- The archaeological site provides clues about the dawn of man.
- Dominion of man: A more literary phrase emphasizing human control or rule over the natural world during this age.
- The poet lamented the environmental cost of the dominion of man.
- last 2 million years