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Have humans created a new geological age?

newscientist.com — The suggestion that the overtaking of planet Earth by one species – humans – kicked off a new geological age was first made by Paul Crutzen in 2002. Crutzen, a Nobel prize-winning chemist, said we should now consider that we are living in the Anthropocene, an age dominated by human activities.

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  • lucutus, on 01/27/2008, -13/+1210, 100, 500 million years after our demise as of right now I don't believe there will be much actual geologic evidence of our presence. Yes maybe we changed sediment layers in a few areas but globally? Maybe in the future but not quite yet methinks. I'll be interested to see what the International Union of Geological Sciences has to say. I'm sure we have an impact but not dramatic enough yet to call it a geologic age.
    • imperium2000, on 01/27/2008, -2/+16Well, we've torn mountains apart, dug holes nearly a mile into the crust, carved faces onto Mt. Rushmore, changed the flow of rivers and lakes. We have done a lot of changes to Earth. Perhaps in a few million years our ancestors could call this a human geologic age but don't underestimate the changes we've done.
      • dawgma, on 01/27/2008, -0/+14our ancestors?
        • markp88, on 01/27/2008, -0/+9Time travel you know.
        • imperium2000, on 01/27/2008, -1/+5Then the evolved Sentient Dolphin and Cockroach Space Federation.
          • Kamill85, on 01/28/2008, -0/+5Dolphins already are sentient you noob.
      • pyronik, on 01/27/2008, -2/+2all thats true, but then again... we have a hard time finding the location of large asteroids that caused mass extinctions on earth... carving some rocks and digging some holes seems to be a far cry from an ELE.
      • lucutus, on 01/27/2008, -1/+1All but the carving of rushmore also happen natually. Tectonic plate movements, erosion, and volcanic activity will erase most of what we've done.
    • Vektuz, on 01/27/2008, -0/+5It doesn't matter since the only survivors of this so called "human age" will be roaches. And roaches don't care about geology.

      Maybe a couple million years later when the great roach race evolves intelligence again and they wonder what killed the dinohumans
      • imperium2000, on 01/27/2008, -1/+2Do not underestimate the power of the Space Alliance of Roaches. They evolved in the mean streets of New York,
    • ElAssoWipo, on 01/28/2008, -1/+4I don't know why people are mixing this up with global warming, it's not even remotely the same thing.

      This is just saying that there is a difference between when there weren't any humans and now, geologically speaking. It's a new layer of dirt that marks our existence as a species.

      Geological age literaly just means a layer of dirt that indicates a certain time frame, and the layer of dirt we lived on contains traces of human activity (I should hope so), significant enough to differenciate it from before we were here.

      It's not about global warming at all.
    • Spoomeister, on 01/28/2008, -1/+6Paraphrasing George Carlin: The answer is plastic. The earth created humans because it wanted plastic for itself, and didnt know how to get it. In a few million years there will be leftovers of a billion little shopping bags and cheap happy meal toys.
  • msaleem, on 01/27/2008, -6/+29I think we as human beings, in spite of all the information and evidence out there, really underestimate our impact on the world around us.
    • pintomp3, on 01/27/2008, -3/+11especially when you consider how many billions of us there are and the amount of energy, food, and materials are required to sustain our lifestyles.
    • ryan83189, on 01/27/2008, -2/+1At least when the impact is negative.
    • Daz_Genetic, on 01/27/2008, -6/+1That's funny because I think we as human beings, in spite of all the information and evidence out there, really overestimate our impact on the world around us.
    • ElAssoWipo, on 01/27/2008, -2/+1And what would be the measure of this impact?
      • SpacePoet, on 01/28/2008, -0/+1Good question, but there are too many answers for one post, but by the time we start noticing, it'll be close to being too late.
        • ernieoporto, on 02/02/2008, -0/+1Well, good lord, let's just do something - anything! Even if it's the wrong thing!!! We need arbitrary CHANGE people!!!!!!
  • afidler, on 01/27/2008, -1/+23hmm, why does this look so familiar? I just can't figure this one out...
    http://digg.com/general_sciences/Have_humans_creat ...
    • cococooky, on 01/27/2008, -1/+7Well digg's duplicate catcher didn't even show it, but you are right.
    • Supernova36, on 01/27/2008, -0/+16No, we created a new Geological age since then.
    • cococooky, on 01/28/2008, -2/+1And maheshee11 the original poster, didn't seem to mind - he was one of the first people to digg this submission. People are not on digg 24/7, so a broader section of the digg community will now see it.
  • petrodollar, on 01/27/2008, -10/+26I think global warming is a myth because Al Gore flies around in airplanes and it's 5 below in North Dakota. Nevermind that out of 900+ peer reviewed articles on the topic, not a single one supports my belief. Everyone knows those researchers are all filthy and corrupt.
    • pintomp3, on 01/27/2008, -3/+18seriously, those greedy scientists are only in it for the money. the oil companies and coal unions, OTOH, are only interested in the truth and betterment of mankind and the planet.
    • Zidul, on 01/27/2008, -12/+5Its not global warming, we're just still coming out of the Ice Age.
      • petrodollar, on 01/27/2008, -1/+9BRILLIANT!!! And we're coming out of it real fast too!
      • kuzotz, on 01/27/2008, -5/+1WE're not in an ice age. We're in a inter-glacial period, and have been since the end of the second ice age we experienced.

        I read an article in the 70s about how the earth is getting colder, but not its global warming.

        I think there are factors like wtf is going on in the cosmos, and at the same time humans damaging the environment.
        • petrodollar, on 01/27/2008, -2/+5"I read an article in the 70s about how the earth is getting colder, but not its global warming."

          Outstanding logic. The data must be all wrong and the earth isn't actually warming.
        • sgiffy, on 01/27/2008, -2/+5Doctors used to use leeches to cure illness so antibiotics are evil.
    • SpacePoet, on 01/28/2008, -1/+2Dude, this is an article about our geological age. It's funny how the first thing you think of is the destruction we cause... we could call it the *****-up Age.
  • daxsymbiont, on 01/27/2008, -4/+12only pathetic subhumans destroy mother earth in the name of politics.
    • tgc1, on 01/27/2008, -3/+3And your existence doesn't have an impact on the earth how?
      • ElAssoWipo, on 01/27/2008, -3/+2He uses recycled fabrics and papers that come from the recycling mill that uses highly toxic bleachers and acids and throws out all the debris in the ocean.
      • SpacePoet, on 02/13/2008, -0/+1I wasn't talking about myself. If I wanted to I could, but I decided to stay in the rat race of civilization. Granted I do everything I can to recycle everything, not waste, educate people, and buy green goods, but I still have a small footprint (less than most), but I think a small footprint is better than a big one.
    • SpacePoet, on 01/28/2008, -0/+1You'd be surprised how people can live with the land and sustain it. It had been done for millennia before, but man's great technology leaps have fostered a dirty age due to piss poor management, greed, corruption, and power. The question is, will our technology save us?
  • sgtcaboose, on 01/27/2008, -3/+4"But Im just one person, what can I do?"
  • unclerichard, on 01/27/2008, -2/+1Deja vu...
  • ryanpoleary, on 01/27/2008, -1/+3It's also supposed to be a very short epoch.
  • forgiste, on 01/27/2008, -8/+1One day all resources (including lesser animals) will be harvested and stored as raw materials. Nanobots will then control and clone all resources and distribute them to society based on society's needs. We will no longer have to eat or drink, and we'll all be in perfect health. Then we'll integrate the internet into our brains and create the noosphere, which is an intelligence layer of the planet between the ground and the atmosphere. It will store all knowledge and control lawmaking and government like a hive mind. We will all become one. This is the new geological age.

    I know I'll probably get dugg down, but I think this is an important idea that needs exposure.
    • forgiste, on 01/27/2008, -1/+1Jobs will be phased out, by our minds. But seriously, what's wrong with just having fun all day?
    • sgiffy, on 01/27/2008, -0/+9They just keep making weed better and better huh?
    • thebellmaster1x, on 01/27/2008, -1/+6"Nanobots will then . . . clone all resources and distribute them . . . ."
      Because nanobots are so awesome, they can violate the First Law of Thermodynamics? You can't create energy, buddy.
      • forgiste, on 01/27/2008, -1/+1Hmm... great point. Why aren't my friends smart enough to debate me on these things before I post them on digg?
        • Bhima, on 01/28/2008, -0/+1Because: "They just keep making weed better and better "
  • Alix7, on 01/27/2008, -8/+21Global warming is a THEORY just like evolution, gravity, and common sense. It was invented by Gays and Mexicans in order to spread Islamofascism to the United States. At least that's what Glenn Beck and Fox News tell me.
  • tweetsa, on 01/27/2008, -13/+1ron paul
    • tweetsa, on 01/27/2008, -4/+1wtf this is digg, I should have 200 diggs for that comment by now
  • renegadeafk, on 01/27/2008, -9/+1The end is near, we're all going to die.
    • Prometheus, on 01/27/2008, -1/+3While true that "we're all going to die", our deaths will most likely be at different times, some near and some far in the future.
      This comment has been brought to you by Morton's Mortuary reminding everyone to plan for their death, before it's too late.
    • lucutus, on 01/27/2008, -2/+2The Sky is falling!!!
    • orangefly, on 01/28/2008, -1/+0we still have until dec 21 2012....
  • protodon, on 01/27/2008, -4/+10
    two words: Idiocracy
    • cococooky, on 01/27/2008, -5/+5Well, spit it out. What's the other word? And while you're at it, can you dumb down the first word, or explain what idiocracy means in relation to this topic? Maybe other word will help me make sense of it....

      From dictionary.com:
      Idiocracy

      Id`i*oc"ra*cy, n.; pl. Idiocrasies. [Idio- + Gr. ? a mixture, fr. ? to mix: cf. F. idiocrasie.] Peculiarity of constitution; that temperament, or state of constitution, which is peculiar to a person; idiosyncrasy.
      • KRNpro, on 01/27/2008, -0/+5hes referring to the movie
        • cococooky, on 01/27/2008, -2/+1Thanks. I should have Googled it, instead looking it up in the dictionary. How stupid of me...

          Its funny the movie mentions people being dumbed down...
    • protodon, on 01/27/2008, -0/+5perhaps I should've said:

      two words: "idiocracy" ....starring Luke Wilson and Maya Rudolph!
    • eth3l, on 01/27/2008, -1/+4protodon - cococooky just defined the words dontcha think? You comment gets my nod for the greatest Digg comment ever. this is so awesome on so many level

      "wouldyou like to try our EXTRA BIG ASS TACO?"
  • captainboog, on 01/27/2008, -0/+6Here's what we'll leave for the future:
    Lots of radioactive waste (including DU).
    A massive species die-off.
    Plastic, plastic, plastic!
    most of the metals, minerals, gems, and other natural resources below the ground will be mined and thus, above the ground.
    ROBOTS.
    computer technology that is doubling (basically in speed and size and number) every 2 years or so.
    Bio-technology similar in growth to computer tech (and thus a whole new set of species and ecosystems).
    some atmospheric change
    The tech is a biggie. Every 20 years or so, it multiplies by a thousand. If this keeps up, and we don't all go up in a nuclear furnace or something, imagine what it will be like in 100 years, 200 years, 1000 years, etc. (100 years = 1 quadrillion times increase in tech.)
    p.s. i wish digg didn't insert newlines after every return. pain in the ass.
  • rocket777, on 01/27/2008, -4/+1Burn the blasphemers in the fires of hell.
  • eth3l, on 01/27/2008, -3/+6To believe for a moment that the most advanced species to ever inhabit this planet would not leave a "geolocial mark" is idiocy. No one should be surprised about this.
    • ElAssoWipo, on 01/27/2008, -1/+1No, no, geoligical "AGE". That way it sounds like it actually means something more important than a layer of dirt that contains traces of human activity.
  • lex0nyc, on 01/27/2008, -9/+2It seems a little presumptuous, to think that we wee tings will have a significant impact on a 4.5 billion year geological history, and that it should be named for us. Who the hell do we think we are? We're mites on this planet. Insignificant to the geology.
    • dash1185, on 01/27/2008, -1/+4Mites, maybe. But tons and tons of nasty mites. Guess what, what we usually call "nature" doesn't exist anymore. We're everywhere ! If that's what you call mites....
    • amtheliberator, on 01/27/2008, -0/+2Well, we did name the other ones too.
    • darkgreystar, on 01/28/2008, -0/+3To think that humans now have no impact on the geology and the earth is a bit pretentious, don't you think?
  • Gunsotsu, on 01/28/2008, -0/+3Insects out number humans 1 000 000:1. How have humans overtaken the planet?
    • deadbolt, on 01/28/2008, -1/+0Size and INTELLIGENCE!
    • DeFex, on 01/28/2008, -0/+2without insects humans would be dead in 4 years or so. without humans insects would not care.
    • SpacePoet, on 01/28/2008, -0/+2Show me an insect that can tie its own shoes. Stupid insects...
  • DeFex, on 01/28/2008, -0/+3in the future the raccoon people will be digging and after the iridium layer which shows where the asteroid hit the earth they will find the plastic bag and Styrofoam layer. maybe they will think all those other species we wiped out were killed by a Styrofoam asteroid.
  • esquimaux, on 01/28/2008, -1/+2And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
    So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
  • goldendragon2, on 01/28/2008, -0/+3"I'm picturing the geologists of the future pulling out sediment cores looking for the layer of *plastic debris* that marks the Anthropocene"
  • fixedcoma, on 01/28/2008, -0/+1I think population control should be a factor before future problems arise. We don't need circumstances like in the movie "Soilent Green". Everything has been moving and growing over the year, we just don't need any problems from lack of food.
  • ernieoporto, on 02/02/2008, -0/+1No.
  •  

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