As we hurtle towards a less habitable Earth, we need to take stock of the possibilities for moving forward: first by understanding what we face, and then identifying how we might tackle the challenges ahead. In this final issue of RCC Perspectives , geologist Jan Zalasiewicz provides compelling evidence for the Anthropocene as a proposed geological epoch, highlighting the daunting trajectories that humans have aligned for the Earth System. But the course is not yet set, as we see when historian Julia Adeney Thomas looks beyond the science to explore three types of narrative that are guiding perceptions of the Anthropocene, and in doing so illustrates the power of storytelling for shaping the future. This tandem effort calls for multidisciplinarity as our best bet in building resilience to the complexities of a rapidly changing world.
How to cite: Thomas, Julia Adeney, and Jan Zalasiewicz. “Strata and Three Stories,” RCC Perspectives: Transformations in Environment and Society 2020, no. 3. doi.org/10.5282/rcc/9205.