Detail lake core (IMAGE)
Caption
A drill core from Crawford Lake was chosen by the AWG as candidate site demarcating a proposed Anthropocene epoch. In this Canadian lake, calcium and carbonate ions from the surrounding rocks combine and crystallize into small calcite crystals when the water is warm. These crystals gradually sink and form a distinct white layer at the lake bottom each summer. This natural phenomenon provides researchers with a precise chronological marker, allowing them to determine the specific year being examined. Around the year 1950, there is a notable increase in the concentration of plutonium particles. This significant change serves as one of many clear indication of human impact and, consequently, provides evidence of the Anthropocene
Credit
Tim Patterson
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Original content