The Impact of Humans on the Earth

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Scientists have spent the last decade scouring 12 sites from across the world. The goal is to find the perfect emblem of the new epoch. Geologists mark their timelines with rocks, not dates. But pointing out the impact of people on the planet in a general way is just not quite enough. They need to nail it down to one environmental change at one place, at one time. Then they can declare the beginning of the Anthropocene.

Following years of military takeovers in the region, Niger is the West’s last solid ally in the Sahel. But with this coup, and growing alignment with Russia, these relations are in jeopardy. Why is a policy to decongest London proving such a politically divisive issue (10:49)? And, a deep dive into a Canadian lake shows that humanity may be entering a new epoch (17:01).

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