Humans have contributed, in the form of plastic, glass, and purified metals, the largest influx of new minerals into Earth’s geologic history (probably) since oxygen levels first ticked up in the atmosphere around 2.3 billion years ago.
Here’s two new, 100% real science words for you to learn today: Technofossil and plastiglomerate.
I’ll have a video out about this on Feb. 8… stay tuned!