Scientists say that due to the various activities and activities of the people, the earth’s geology, atmosphere and biosphere have changed greatly. They say that this fundamental change has occurred so much that the world has entered a new geological era. It is called the Anthropocene. Scientists of the Anthropocene Working Group (AWG) said on Tuesday that this era began around 1950, about 70 years ago.
Crawford Lake in Canada’s Ontario province is small in size but very deep. By analyzing the sediment accumulated at the bottom of this lake, scientists have claimed that a new geological chapter of the world has begun.
The Anthropocene Working Group now plans to submit evidence of its research to the international authority that names the Earth’s geological chapters. The International Commission on Stratigraphy names geological periods. They have not yet officially recognized the Anthropocene epoch.
The Holocene geological era is currently underway. This era began after the end of the Ice Age 11,700 years ago.
In addition to Crawford Lake, scientists conducted research at 11 other locations around the world. Environmental changes can be found by studying the sediment layers of water bodies and other places. Scientists examined sediment, soil, coral and ice samples from Lake Crawford and 11 other sites.
Scientists say the most definitive evidence of the Anthropocene has been found in Crawford Lake near Toronto. Because of Crawford’s great depth, the evidence accumulated in the sediments beneath it was not destroyed. And these signs indicate that 70 years ago, the Anthropocene era or the man-made geological era has begun.
Colin Waters, chairperson of the AWG and professor at the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom, said that plutonium (an element formed from uranium) accumulated due to nuclear weapons testing in the 1950s provides clear evidence of the beginning of the Anthropocene era. In addition, increasing use of fossil fuels and fertilizers, various land-use changes, and loss of biodiversity due to the expansion of agribusiness are also signaling the beginning of a new era.
Core samples collected from Crawford Lake sediments yielded plutonium and other evidence.
Waters said the current Anthropocene epoch is 70 years old.
This era reflects the changes in Earth’s climate and ecology due to human activities. However, there is disagreement among scientists as to when this proposed era began.
“Clearly, the biology of this planet has changed rapidly,” Waters said. We cannot go back to Holocene conditions now.’
