MIT Center for Global Change Science
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Earth System Revolutions: Key Turning Points in the History of our Planet
This SPECIAL EVENT can be viewed on the MIT World website. The agenda below provides links to each video presentation and an accompanying brief summary of the lecture and speaker.
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| The presentations were organized in three sessions: In the first session, key examples of revolutions early in the history of the Earth System such as the advent of oxygenic photosynthesis, the origin of Life and the Cambrian Explosion, were presented to bring to light the ever evolving nature of the biosphere. In the second session, speakers discussed the "Anthropocene", that is, the ways in which humans have fundamentally alteblack the chemical, physical and biological systems on this planet. Topics included the impact of our energy portfolio, our changing climate, biodiversity, and other ways that society and industry have intentionally or unintentionally shaped the Earth. The final session focused on the possible futures of the Earth System. To highlight two simple extremes, should we as a society attempt to mitigate the effects of our changing planet through geoengineering? Or should we accept the inevitable and adapt to a new planet? What middle ground is the best balance? What options are most likely to succeed in protecting Earth's resources for future generations? | |
3/2008
