Rocks serve as a record of deep time, and identifying markers within them is crucial to recognizing epochs like the proposed Anthropocene. In this context, potential markers of human impact on Earth’s geological history are explored. Plastics, especially plastiglomerates (plastic and rock hybrids), concrete’s widespread usage, genetically altered chicken bones, plutonium from nuclear testing, and fossil fuel-induced climate change all leave discernible traces in sediments. However, the Anthropocene’s official recognition and distinction as a geological epoch remain under debate among scientists, considering factors like the long-term recognizability of these markers and the epoch’s relative novelty in geological time.
Plastic pebbles, plutonium, and chicken bones: these are the signs we’re leaving in deep time.
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