Scientists Propose New 'Anthropocene' Epoch Marked by Human Impact on Earth

• Crawford Lake in Canada emerges as leading candidate for geological marker of the Anthropocene's beginning in the 1950s.
• Sediment at Crawford Lake shows clear evidence of the Great Acceleration and nuclear weapons testing.
• Anthropocene Working Group aims to gain formal approval for the new epoch from international geological bodies.
• The onset of the Anthropocene reflects accelerated human impacts through industrial activity, population growth, burning of fossil fuels.
• Declaring a new epoch signifies the enormity of human-caused changes to the planet's geology and ecosystems.

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