Paul J. Crutzen
He won the Nobel Prize for his work on the formation and decomposition of ozone.
Most quoted
"Considering these and many other major and still growing impacts of human activities on Earth and atmosphere, and at all, including global, scales, it seems to me more than appropriate to emphasize the central role of mankind in geology and ecology by proposing to use the term 'Anthropocene' for the current geological epoch."
— from The 'Anthropocene', 2000
"For the past three centuries, the effects of humans on the global environment have escalated. Because of these, it seems to me that it is more than appropriate to emphasize the central role of mankind in geology and ecology by proposing to use the term 'Anthropocene' for the current geological epoch."
— from IGBP Newsletter, 2000
"The Anthropocene could be said to have started in the latter part of the eighteenth century, when analyses of air trapped in polar ice showed the beginning of growing global concentrations of carbon dioxide and methane."
— from Geology of Mankind, 2002
All quotes by Paul J. Crutzen (422)
The ozone hole was a wake-up call. We hit snooze.
It's amazing what you can discover when you're not afraid to be wrong.
The atmosphere doesn't care about our politics, only our emissions.
We're conducting a grand experiment on Earth, and we don't have a control group.
My job is to tell you what's happening. Your job is to do something about it.
The biggest challenge isn't the science; it's the human brain.
We're like children playing with matches in a gasoline factory.
The Anthropocene is not a theory; it's a diagnosis.
If you think the climate is complicated, try explaining it to a politician.
I'm an optimist, but I'm also a scientist. The data isn't always optimistic.
We've gone from influencing the environment to dominating it.
The Earth will survive us. The question is, will we survive the Earth we've created?
Sometimes the most profound discoveries come from looking at what everyone else ignores.
We're not just leaving footprints; we're leaving craters.
The atmosphere is a delicate balance. We're throwing wrenches into it.
The future isn't written. We're writing it right now, with every emission.
Denial is not a scientific method.
We're not just observing the planet; we're actively participating in its transformation.
The Anthropocene is a testament to our power, and our shortsightedness.
I've been called many things, but 'boring' isn't one of them, especially when discussing the end of the world as we know it.
Contemporaries of Paul J. Crutzen
Other Chemistrys born within 50 years of Paul J. Crutzen (1933–2021).