The golden spike is key to proving we are living in a human-driven epoch

Geologists must decide on a time and place that marks the beginning of the Anthropocene. The acceptance of this epoch could bring scientific disciplines together, something the world needs to address the planet’s problems, reports Saphora Smith

The human impact on the planet has led scientists to prove we’re living in a new geological epoch (Getty/The Independent)

The fact that humans are affecting the planet should – in 2022 – come as a surprise to no one. Plastic bobs in our oceans, sewage slips into our rivers, pollution chokes our cities, and greenhouse gas emissions are heating up the planet at an alarming rate. In fact, the sheer extent of human impact on the planet has led some scientists to try to prove that we are now living in a new geological epoch, known as the Anthropocene – a word derived from the Greek terms for “human” and “new”.

The endeavour will reach a critical point this year when geologists decide on a time and place they believe best marks the beginning of the epoch. The site will show that a global change is visible in a natural material such as rock, ice or sediment at a level known as a “golden spike”.

Finding this golden spike is crucial to proving that the planet has entered the Anthropocene. It is a herculean task for a group of volunteers with limited financial support, but if a new epoch is rubber-stamped it has the potential to make waves far beyond the hallowed halls of academia.