#74: Just What is the Anthropocene? With Dr. Anya Gruber

Jul 3, 2023

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Have you heard about the Anthropocene? Well, we're living in it right now, but that's not necessarily a good thing.

Joining us is paleoethnobotanist, Dr. Anya Gruber, whose expertise uniquely positions her to guide us through the human relationship with the environment. We begin by learning about Dr. Gruber's world, where she skillfully utilizes plant remains to reconstruct the environments of bygone eras and decipher human interactions with nature.

Building on this foundation, our conversation shifts towards the Anthropocene—the epoch that places humanity under scrutiny for its pervasive and often detrimental impact on the Earth. Dr. Gruber helps us understand the concept's essence, its definition, and the methodologies employed to assess its effects.

Within the context of the Anthropocene, we confront the uncomfortable reality of our collective responsibility for the environmental challenges we face. We also explore the nuances of distributional impacts, acknowledging that the burden is not evenly shared across all individuals.

I hope today's episode serves as a good introduction to the Anthropocene, and that by comprehending the profound implications of the Anthropocene, we can ignite a transformative drive towards a more harmonious relationship with our planet.

You can find Dr. Gruber on Instagram @anyagruber, or on her website at anyaegruber.com.

FULL SHOW NOTES

LINKS
People and Organizations
SAPIENS Anthropology Magazine – https://www.sapiens.org/
Atlas Obscura – https://www.atlasobscura.com/

Upcoming article about the queer history of the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow house.

Books and Other Things
Note: links to books are affiliate links
Finding Mrs. Jackson Sapiens Podcast Episode
Two of Dr. Gruber’s recent articles

SAPIENS | Can Digitizing Gravestones Save History?
Atlas Obscura | Burial Hill’s Historic Gravestones Are Coming to Your Screen

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Music: Spellbound by Brian Holtz Music
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Artist site: https://brianholtzmusic.com

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