RE: New Geologic Epoch

["Thomas R. Holtz, Jr." <tholtz@umd.edu>]

> From: owner-DINOSAUR@usc.edu [mailto:owner-DINOSAUR@usc.edu] 
> On Behalf Of Adrienne Mayor
> 
> On Jan 29, 2008, at 12:22 PM, K and T Dykes wrote:
> 
> <<GAINING GROUND?!? The paper came out this week! How can it 
> gain ground if it hasn't had time to be evaluated!>>
> 
> My post was intended to report, not necessarily support the idea.

Fair enough!

> The concept and phrase "Anthropocene" is not new; it's been 
> discussed for some time in the geological and scientific community.

And Anthrozoic and Psychozoic and many others.

This reminds me of the figure from Lapworth's 1898 _Intermediate Text-Book
of Geology_ (which is in the excellent _Supercontinent_ by Ted Nield) which
includes a number of geochronologic units that have since dropped off. Some
of them are actually useful heuristically: a Protozoic (Cambrian-Silurian)
and Deuterozoic (Devonian-Permian), and a Neozoic (Mesozoic plus Cenozoic).

On the other hand, it includes the redudant Quaternary Cycle, Anthrozoic
Life Period, and Post-Tertiary System.

Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
Email: tholtz@umd.edu   Phone: 301-405-4084
Office: Centreville 1216                        
Senior Lecturer, Vertebrate Paleontology
Dept. of Geology, University of Maryland
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~tholtz/
Fax: 301-314-9661               

Faculty Director, Earth, Life & Time Program, College Park Scholars
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~jmerck/eltsite/
Fax: 301-405-0796

Mailing Address:        Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
                        Department of Geology
                        Building 237, Room 1117
                        University of Maryland
                        College Park, MD 20742 USA