# This century is special because it is the first when one species has the planet's future in… by Martin Rees > "This century is special because it is the first when one species has the planet's future in its hands." > **— Martin Rees**, *Our Final Century / TED talks, compressed candidate wording* Verification Status: Unverified — exact wording/source has not yet been independently confirmed against a primary source; source clue: Our Final Century / TED talks, compressed candidate wording.