The Brief History of Human Life on Earth

In this podcast episode, Professor Murphy discusses the span of human life on earth and how it compares to a single human lifetime. He breaks down the timeline, highlighting that the first 70 years of the 75-year human lifespan were characterized by sustainable coexistence with the planet. The last 5 years represent the age of Homo sapiens, while the last 15 weeks mark the age of civilization. The age of science is condensed into the last 400 years, followed by the age of fossil fuels, which intensified over the last 150 years. The last 12 hours of the 75-year lifespan are characterized by rapid global ecological devastation, coinciding with heavy energy consumption by society.