The 11,700-year-old Holocene epoch is over. We're now living in the Anthropocene epoch.
长达11700年的全新世结束啦。我们如今正生活在“人类世”纪元。
You don't need to be paying much attention to the world around you to know that humans are having a massive influence on the planet, but our influence is now on the way to being officially recognised in
geologic terms.
The 11,700-year-old geological Holocene epoch has ended, scientists say, and we're now living in the Anthropocene: an era defined by humanity's influence on the world around us.
In fact, unless you're over the age of 66, you've always been living in it. A 35-strong team of international researchers from the Working Group on the Anthropocene voted 30-3 (two were absent) in favour of the epoch shift, and the starting date is 1950.
The date isn't
random: it matches when the first nuclear tests created a new
stratum in the planet's surface.
Actually, it won't necessarily be nuclear tests that ended the Holocene. Humanity's impact on the planet is so great that we're left “spoiled for choice” in terms of which particular signal to choose.
Plastic pollution,
soot from power plants, concrete and even domestic chicken bones were considered possible contenders.
Now that the vote has been done, we'll see a few years of site sampling to figure out the best Global Standard Stratigraphic Age (GSSA) to date the start of the Anthropocene, which will then be presented to the International Commission on Stratigraphy.
It will then need
ratification from the Executive Committee of the International Union of Geological Sciences.
相关单词：epoch
epoch解释：n.(新)时代；历元
epoch例句：
The epoch of revolution creates great figures.革命时代造就伟大的人物。
We're at the end of the historical epoch,and at the dawn of another.我们正处在一个历史时代的末期，另一个历史时代的开端。
相关单词：geologic
geologic解释：adj.地质的
geologic例句：
The Red Sea is a geologic continuation of the valley.红海就是一个峡谷在地质上的继续发展。
Delineation of channels is the first step of geologic evaluation.勾划河道的轮廓是地质解译的第一步。
相关单词：random
random解释：adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动
random例句：
The list is arranged in a random order.名单排列不分先后。
On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。
相关单词：stratum
stratum解释：n.地层，社会阶层
stratum例句：
The coal is a coal resource that reserves in old stratum.石煤是贮藏在古老地层中的一种煤炭资源。
How does Chinese society define the class and stratum?中国社会如何界定阶级与阶层？
相关单词：soot
soot解释：n.煤烟，烟尘；vt.熏以煤烟
soot例句：
Soot is the product of the imperfect combustion of fuel.煤烟是燃料不完全燃烧的产物。
The chimney was choked with soot.烟囱被煤灰堵塞了。
相关单词：ratification
ratification解释：n.批准，认可
ratification例句：
The treaty is awaiting ratification.条约正等待批准。
The treaty is subject to ratification.此条约经批准后才能生效。
