Lively, illuminating explanation of new scientific term 'the Anthropocene -- the age of man -- through the stories of people living on its frontline Scientists are agreed that we are at the start of a new epoch, called the Anthropocene, the first to be defined and determined by only one organim -- man. We all know our planet is in crisis, and it''s our fault. But all too often it''s hard to get a full picture of what''s really going on, what it all means, from all the facts and stats. So Gaia Vince, news editor of the science journal Nature, decided to travel the world to see for herself what life is really like for people on the frontline of this new age. Gaia found people doing the most extraordinary things. Take the man who is making artificial glaciers in Nepal, for example, or the one who''s painting mountains white to attract snowfall; take the electrified reefs of the Maldives; or the man who''s making islands out of rubbish in the Caribbean. These are ordinary people who are solving severe crises in crazy, ingenious, effective ways. These wonderful stories, combined with the new science that underpins Gaia''s expertise and research, make for a persuasive, illuminating - and very hopeful - read about what the Anthropocene means for all of us and how we are to survive the coming centuries.