The name Anthropocene is a combination of the Greek root “anthropo” meaning “human” and “cene” meaning “new.” As a scientific term, it is used to refer to the current geological epoch where human beings are identified as the primary effectors of changes within earth’s systems.  The Anthropocene has no agreed upon start date, instead, there are typically three different periods in human civilization cited as forming its origins; the neolithic revolution, the industrial revolution or the more current transformation, sometimes called the great acceleration.