scientists propose that Lake Crawford be designated as a reference for the Anthropocene, a period marked by human action

At first glance it is a tiny lake like there are thousands in Canada. But what lies beneath the surface, the exceptional preservation of its geological layers, makes it extraordinary. Crawford Lake, near Toronto, was chosen on Tuesday July 11 as the world reference site for the beginning of the Anthropocene, a new geological epoch characterized by the impact of humanity on the Earth that scientists are trying to have recognized officially. For years, therefore, they have sought to establish the place in the world (called the “golden nail”) that constitutes the best benchmark for this proposed new geological epoch. This choice was announced by the working group on the Anthropocene, set up by the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS).

The stratified sediments at the bottom of this small, one-square-kilometre body of water, laden with microplastics, ash from burning oil and coal, and fallout from nuclear bomb explosions, is the best evidence that a new geological chapter of Earth’s history has opened up, concluded the members of the Anthropocene Working Group. However, official approval by the world’s geological authorities is still very uncertain.