Canadian lake chosen to represent start of the Anthropocene

AI summary:

Scientists have chosen Crawford Lake, near Toronto, Canada as the site to mark the beginning of the Anthropocene epoch. Sediments in the lake show clear spikes in plutonium from nuclear tests and particles from fossil fuel burning starting in the 1950s, indicating the massive impact of human activity on the planet. The presence of plutonium isotopes from H-bomb tests in the lake sediments provides a stark indicator that humanity has become a dominant force shaping the Earth. If approved, the Crawford Lake site will officially declare the start of the Anthropocene in 2024, testifying to the scale of planetary transformation unleashed by industrialized humanity like the climate crisis.