 This is the story of how one species changed a planet. The latest chapter of our story begins in England 250 years ago. Fueled by coal, then oil, several brilliant inventions appeared. They ignited the Industrial Revolution, which spread like wildfire through Europe, North America, Japan, then elsewhere. The Great Railways, then cars and highways, connected people across the globe. Medical discoveries saved millions of lives. New artificial fertilizers meant we could feed more people. Population rose rapidly. But this was nothing compared with what was to come. The 1950s marked the beginning of the Great Acceleration. Globalization, marketing, tourism and huge investments helped fuel enormous growth. People swarmed to cities, which became even more powerful engines of creativity. In a single lifetime, the well-being of millions has improved beyond measure. Health, wealth, security, longevity never have so many had so much. Yet one billion are malnourished. In a single lifetime, we have grown into a phenomenal global force. We move more sediment and rock annually than all natural processes, such as erosion and rivers. We manage three-quarters of all land outside the ice sheets. Greenhouse gas levels this high have not been seen for over one million years. Temperatures are increasing. We have made a hole in the ozone layer. We are losing biodiversity. Many of the world's deltas are sinking due to damming, mining and other causes. Sea level is rising. Ocean acidification is a real threat. We are altering Earth's natural cycles. We have entered the Anthropocene, a new geological epoch dominated by humanity. This relentless pressure on our planet risks unprecedented destabilization. But our creativity, energy and industry offer hope. We have shaped our past. We are shaping our present. We can shape our future. You and I are part of this story. We are the first generation to realize this new responsibility. As the population grows to nine billion, we must find a safe operating space for humanity. For the sake of future generations. Welcome to the Anthropocene.