anthropause
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English
[edit]
Etymology
[edit]From anthro- + -pause. Coined by a team of researchers and scientists in June 2020 in an article discussing the possible impact of COVID-19 lockdown on wildlife.[1]
Noun
[edit]anthropause (plural anthropauses)
- (neologism) A global reduction in modern human activity resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Synonym: great pause
- 2020, Alan Parkinson, Why Study Geography?, page 40:
- The enforced global 'anthropause' during part of 2020 was also a reminder of the importance of timing: we have become used to having the things we need.
- 2021 November, Amanda E. Bates, Richard B. Primack, Brandy S. Biggar, Tomas J. Bird, Mary E. Clinton, “Global COVID-19 lockdown highlights humans as both threats and custodians of the environment”, in Biological Conservation[2], volume 263, , →ISSN:
- Thus, the COVID-19 lockdown has led to a significant global reduction in human mobility, notably travel, causing an “anthropause” (Rutz et al., 2020).
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Christian Rutz, Matthias-Claudio Loretto, Amanda E. Bates, Sarah C. Davidson, Carlos M. Duarte (2020 June 22) “COVID-19 lockdown allows researchers to quantify the effects of human activity on wildlife”, in Nature Ecology & Evolution[1], volume 4, number 9, , →ISSN, pages 1156–1159:
- We propose ‘anthropause’ to refer specifically to a considerable global slowing of modern human activities, notably travel. We are aware that the correct prefix is ‘anthropo-’ (for ‘human’) but opted for the shortened form, which is easier to remember and use, and where the missing ‘po’ is still echoed in the pronunciation of ‘pause’ (pɔːz).