Welcome to the Anthropocene

The Anthropocene Working Group (AWG) of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS) has voted to proceed toward a formal golden spike (GSSP) proposal to define the Anthropocene epoch in the geologic time scale (GTS). This month, the Anthropocene Working Group chose Crawford Lake in Ontario, Canada as the site best representing the beginning of the proposed new epoch. The calm, deep lake has a floor that remains relatively undisturbed by currents in the lake, allowing the sediments on the bottom of the lake to reflect in its layers whatever lands on the lake’s surface.

If approved, the official declaration of the new Anthropocene epoch will take place next month, and its first age may be named Crawfordian after the lake.

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Tags: Anthropocene