The “Anthropocene” is the name for a proposed new geological time period defined by humanity’s role as a geological force that is capable of shaping the evolution of planet Earth. The term may soon enter the official Geologic Time Scale. In this interview, David Grinspoon discusses the implications of the Anthropocene from an astrobiologist’s point of view.

“It’s a topic I’ve long been interested in. Even as a kid enthralled with science fiction, I wondered about the role of people in the long term evolution of the Earth, the far future and the fate of humanity. And thinking about advanced life elsewhere in the Universe also leads us back to wonder about how long a civilization can last, which raises the same questions.” – David Grinspoon

Grinspoon is the Baruch S. Blumberg NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology and Curator of Astrobiology at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.