Holozän

The Holocene, known as Holozän in German and other languages, is the current geological epoch of the Quaternary Period. It began about 11,700 years ago after the close of the last glacial period and continues to the present. The name derives from Greek holos meaning “wholly” or “entire” and kainos meaning “new” or “recent.” The epoch is defined in part by climatic and environmental changes that marked the end of the Pleistocene.

The lower boundary of the Holocene is set by the onset of a warmer, interglacial climate after the Younger Dryas, roughly 11,700 years ago, a transition recorded in ice cores and marine sediments around the globe. This transition established the start of a relatively stable climate regime compared with the preceding glacial cycles.

Climate and environment in the Holocene have been characterized by generally warm and stable conditions, with ongoing deglaciation and rising sea levels in its early phases. Notable climatic episodes include the Holocene climatic optimum (roughly 9,000–5,000 BCE), the 8.2-kiloyear event, and, in more recent millennia, fluctuations such as the Medieval Warm Period and the Little Ice Age. These changes have shaped vegetation, fire regimes, and biodiversity across continents.

Human development has profoundly influenced the Holocene. The emergence of agriculture about 10,000 BCE led to sedentary societies and urbanization, driving significant demographic and cultural shifts. In modern times, human activities have become major drivers of environmental change, including landscape modification, species introductions, and climate modification. Some scientists propose an unofficial epoch called the Anthropocene to reflect these impacts, but it is not yet formally recognized within the official geologic time scale.