Conservation Culturomics 2.0 (?): Information Entropy, Big Data, and Global Public Awareness in the Anthropocene Narrative Issues

The Anthropocene is a concept that highlights the profound changes humans have made to nearly every aspect of the Earth. It serves as a compelling narrative that challenges us to examine public perceptions and interests regarding human–nature interactions in an integrated way. These interactions are...

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Main Authors: Charalampos Sideropoulos, Andreas Y. Troumbis
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Earth
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4834/6/2/22
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author Charalampos Sideropoulos
Andreas Y. Troumbis
author_facet Charalampos Sideropoulos
Andreas Y. Troumbis
author_sort Charalampos Sideropoulos
collection DOAJ
description The Anthropocene is a concept that highlights the profound changes humans have made to nearly every aspect of the Earth. It serves as a compelling narrative that challenges us to examine public perceptions and interests regarding human–nature interactions in an integrated way. These interactions are widespread but can vary significantly over time, across cultures and under different economic conditions, making them difficult to monitor effectively on a large scale. Recent advancements in digital technology, such as the ability to track online searches through tools, like Google Trends-Glimpse, and the near real-time monitoring of news broadcasts via the GDELT Project, present new opportunities. These tools can analyze data in multiple languages around the world, encouraging innovative approaches to integrate the diverse and complex information generated within this multi-language, multi-concept, and varied time-scale environment of human activity and beliefs. We propose a transformed version of Markowitz’s multi-asset optimization theory that encompasses over 5.5 billion people, several languages, and concepts since 2004. This approach is a functional ensemble where ecology and economics intersect, at least mechanistically. Our findings indicate that while there is a general increase in people’s interest in Anthropocene-related issues, significant differences exist across cultures. We also identify several sources of data noise and evidence that interfere with the overall methodology. Addressing these issues in future research will help to extend the validity of our approach, especially if it increases interest in conservation culturomics.
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spelling doaj-art-077aa85b905e4ea08437ec69cde855dd2025-08-20T02:24:34ZengMDPI AGEarth2673-48342025-04-01622210.3390/earth6020022Conservation Culturomics 2.0 (?): Information Entropy, Big Data, and Global Public Awareness in the Anthropocene Narrative IssuesCharalampos Sideropoulos0Andreas Y. Troumbis1Biodiversity Conservation Laboratory, Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, Lesvos Island, 81100 Mytilene, GreeceBiodiversity Conservation Laboratory, Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, Lesvos Island, 81100 Mytilene, GreeceThe Anthropocene is a concept that highlights the profound changes humans have made to nearly every aspect of the Earth. It serves as a compelling narrative that challenges us to examine public perceptions and interests regarding human–nature interactions in an integrated way. These interactions are widespread but can vary significantly over time, across cultures and under different economic conditions, making them difficult to monitor effectively on a large scale. Recent advancements in digital technology, such as the ability to track online searches through tools, like Google Trends-Glimpse, and the near real-time monitoring of news broadcasts via the GDELT Project, present new opportunities. These tools can analyze data in multiple languages around the world, encouraging innovative approaches to integrate the diverse and complex information generated within this multi-language, multi-concept, and varied time-scale environment of human activity and beliefs. We propose a transformed version of Markowitz’s multi-asset optimization theory that encompasses over 5.5 billion people, several languages, and concepts since 2004. This approach is a functional ensemble where ecology and economics intersect, at least mechanistically. Our findings indicate that while there is a general increase in people’s interest in Anthropocene-related issues, significant differences exist across cultures. We also identify several sources of data noise and evidence that interfere with the overall methodology. Addressing these issues in future research will help to extend the validity of our approach, especially if it increases interest in conservation culturomics.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4834/6/2/22conservationbiodiversitysustainabilityclimate changemulti-asset optimizationrisk-return theory
spellingShingle Charalampos Sideropoulos
Andreas Y. Troumbis
Conservation Culturomics 2.0 (?): Information Entropy, Big Data, and Global Public Awareness in the Anthropocene Narrative Issues
Earth
conservation
biodiversity
sustainability
climate change
multi-asset optimization
risk-return theory
title Conservation Culturomics 2.0 (?): Information Entropy, Big Data, and Global Public Awareness in the Anthropocene Narrative Issues
title_full Conservation Culturomics 2.0 (?): Information Entropy, Big Data, and Global Public Awareness in the Anthropocene Narrative Issues
title_fullStr Conservation Culturomics 2.0 (?): Information Entropy, Big Data, and Global Public Awareness in the Anthropocene Narrative Issues
title_full_unstemmed Conservation Culturomics 2.0 (?): Information Entropy, Big Data, and Global Public Awareness in the Anthropocene Narrative Issues
title_short Conservation Culturomics 2.0 (?): Information Entropy, Big Data, and Global Public Awareness in the Anthropocene Narrative Issues
title_sort conservation culturomics 2 0 information entropy big data and global public awareness in the anthropocene narrative issues
topic conservation
biodiversity
sustainability
climate change
multi-asset optimization
risk-return theory
url https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4834/6/2/22
work_keys_str_mv AT charalampossideropoulos conservationculturomics20informationentropybigdataandglobalpublicawarenessintheanthropocenenarrativeissues
AT andreasytroumbis conservationculturomics20informationentropybigdataandglobalpublicawarenessintheanthropocenenarrativeissues