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 Earth has a fever, and we're the ones with the matches.
It's not about saving the planet; it's about saving ourselves from ourselves.
We're living in interesting times, if 'interesting' means 'potentially catastrophic'.
The biggest experiment in human history is underway, and we're all subjects.
My Nobel Prize was for understanding the problem. Now, about the solution...
The atmosphere doesn't negotiate.
We're not just changing the weather; we're changing the fundamental processes of the Earth.
The Anthropocene is a testament to our ingenuity, and our folly.
If you don't like the forecast, stop making the weather worse.
The Earth is a complex system. We're simplifying it, to our detriment.
We're not just leaving a legacy; we're leaving a geological layer.
The biggest challenge is not scientific, but behavioral.
The planet has a long memory, and we're giving it a lot to remember.
I'm not trying to scare you. I'm trying to inform you, which might be scarier.
We're in uncharted territory, and we're drawing the map as we go.
The atmosphere is a global commons. We're treating it like a private dumping ground.
The Anthropocene is a term of responsibility, not just observation.
We're not just making history; we're making geology.
The Earth doesn't negotiate with terrorists, or polluters.
I'm just a scientist, trying to make sense of the mess we've made.
Contemporaries of Paul J. Crutzen
Other Chemistrys born within 50 years of Paul J. Crutzen (1933–2021).