The declaration of a geological era defined by mankind’s destruction might be cause for despair, but this book inspires with tales of resourcefulness and survival
• Why we’re writing about books to give you hope this summer
On Monday the International Geological Congress was advised to declare the start of a new geological era, the Anthropocene, which means that our tribe of “bloody ignorant apes” – in Samuel Beckett’s pithy appellation – has officially taken control of the planet.
The very next day, the Guardian reported on the impending extinction of the Asiatic cheetah (farmers, cars and hunting are among the causes cited for their decline to just two females now known to be living in the wild). Time to despair? If you’re an Asiatic cheetah – or any number of other endangered species – it doesn’t look good. But can the humanity that drove, starved and hunted them to extinction also be their salvation?
Related: Adventures in the Anthropocene by Gaia Vince – review
Related: How the domestic chicken rose to define the Anthropocene
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