ScienceAugust 17, 2026
anthropogenic
an-thruh-puh-JEN-ik
Definition
Originating from or caused by human activity, particularly regarding environmental impact or noise pollution.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek words 'anthropos' meaning human and 'genesis' meaning origin or creation. It entered English in the 19th century to describe phenomena resulting from human influence.
In the news
The article uses the term to describe noise pollution caused by human activity, such as machine sounds in cities, which masks the biotic sounds of a healthy ecosystem.
Worm munch matters: the new acoustic ecology of the soil
Read the full article ↗Aeon