The Anthropocene, or literally the Age of Man, is the name for a new geological epoch in which humanity has become a force reshaping the geological, biological and atmospheric dynamics of Earth. Humankind has caused mass extinctions of plant and animal species, polluted the oceans and altered the atmosphere, among other lasting impacts. However, not all human impacts are negative, and humankind has the potential to create novel and positive changes in the world that benefit people and nature.