“In popular culture cities are portrayed as terrible dystopias as often as they are shown as places of liberation and excitement. Sentiment swings back and forth. Cities were once seen as environmental disaster zones; now it is recognized that they are much more efficient users of fossil fuels than the suburbs or the rural lands beyond. Either way, it is clear that cities distil the ambiguities of our feelings about the Anthropocene.

Cities are the most visible signs of the power of the Anthropocene to transform our planet. Night photographs of the Earth taken from satellites show brilliant dots, strings and flashes of light clustered together. An imaginary alien approaching close enough would be in no doubt that the Earth not only bears life but also that life is advanced enough to be ready for the next stage of evolution.”

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