Human activity might have changed the deep subsurface of Earth, a zone located hundreds of metres to several kilometres under the surface. According to a study published in Earth's Future, the motion of fluids in the subsurface is much higher under human activity than in natural circulation.

Human activity might have changed the deep subsurface of Earth, a zone located hundreds of metres to several kilometres under the surface. According to a study published in Earth's Future, the motion of fluids in the subsurface is much higher under human activity than in natural circulation. However, it is currently unclear what the impacts of these changes might be. The researchers looked at the extraction of fossil fuels, such as oil and gas, and their replacement underground using salt water. They do it to maintain the pressure in the reservoir. Often, water is already present in these reservoirs, which has remained untouched for millions of years. Adding new water alters the composition and its movement in the subsurface. Another aspect of this process is hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, which involves the extraction of oil and gas, not from reservoirs but from deep rock formations. However, breaking the rocks leads to quakes in regions that are not seismically active. It also introduces water and bacteria to the environments underneath. Professor Jennifer McIntosh, the senior study author from the University of Arizona, told IFLScience, "We looked at how the rates of fluid production with oil and gas compared to natural background circulation of water and showed how humans have made a big impact on the circulation of fluids in the subsurface." ALSO READ | Scientists forewarn timing of 'triple whammy extinction' that will eradicate all life from Earth Professor Grant Ferguson, the study's lead author, said, "The deep subsurface is out of sight and out of mind for most people, and we thought it was important to provide some context to these proposed activities, especially our environmental impacts." Many uncertainties surrounding the subsurface raise concerns about potential solutions to the climate crisis. One solution involves storing carbon dioxide underground. However, this method requires burying the carbon dioxide beneath the Earth's surface. Lithium extraction for batteries also poses a challenge as it requires injecting a large amount of water into the subsurface. Furthermore, geothermal energy as a clean source of electricity could also impact the subsurface. Thus, it is essential to understand what is happening beneath our feet. "We need to use the deep subsurface as part of the solution for the climate crisis. Yet, we know more about the surface of Mars than we do about water, rocks and life deep beneath our feet," McIntosh said. (With inputs from agencies)

Scientists discover evidence of human activity altering deep subsurface of Earth

The pale blue dot in the vast darkness of universe, also referred to as Earth or our home planet has been around for billions of years. Alone in its orbital stillness, the planet has undergone a multitude of changes.

The pale blue dot in the vast darkness of universe, also referred to as Earth or our home planet has been around for billions of years. Alone in its orbital stillness, the planet has undergone a multitude of changes. Its layers carry evidence of ice age, dinosaurs roaming around, asteroid hits, mass extinctions, continental ruptures and whatnot. Humans, who have been around a tiny fraction of that time on the cosmic scale, have also made a significant impact on the planet. Now, a special team of scientists has pointed out the timeframe when the new geologic epoch began, influenced by us - the Homo sapiens. What is Anthropocene? Members of the Anthropocene Working Group on Tuesday designated a small body of water near Toronto, Canada as ground zero for the Anthropocene. The word derived from Greek terms for "human" and "new" refers to the current geological age of the planet when human activity has been the dominant influence. The data states that Earth moved into its new age about 73 years ago (1950). The layered sediments deposited at the bottom of Crawford Lake — laced with microplastics, fly-ash spread by burning oil and coal, and the detritus of nuclear bomb explosions, is being regarded as the global example of the beginning of the Anthropocene. “The data show a clear shift from the mid-20th century, taking Earth’s system beyond the normal bounds of the Holocene," said working group member Andy Cundy, a professor at the University of Southampton, referring to the epoch that began 11,700 years ago after the end of ice age. “The sediment found at the bottom of the Crawford Lake provides an exquisite record of recent environmental change over the last millennia,” said Simon Turner, chairman of the working group. Also read | Welcome to the Anthropocene, Earth's new chapter How did scientists find out the baseline? Scientists are linking the new epoch to what is known as the Great Acceleration. It is the period after World War II when human activity went into overdrive. The population surged, industries expanded, more fossil fuels started to burn, nitrogen-based fertilisers became the norm and weapons of mass destruction i.e. nuclear bombs were tested. The scientists arrived at the conclusion that plutonium cast off by hydrogen bomb tests provided that global fingerprint. “The clearest marker for a single year – which gives an abrupt and effectively instantaneous snapshot – is plutonium, because there’s so little of it naturally present," said Cundy, referring to the year 1952 when the US first detonated a huge hydrogen bomb in the Marshall Islands which could become the new epoch's boundary year. WATCH | WION Climate Tracker: Biodiversity suffers from global warming × Crawford Lake's competition Crawford Lake was up against 11 other environmental spaces, spanning five continents, including Antarctica, to be regarded as the ground zero of human footprint. The scientists involved in the study said they were surprised that each of the 12 sites consistently showed the global marks of human activity. Combing them, it paints a clear picture that humans have caused a rapid change to the environment in a very short period of time. If the scientists are able to have their way, they may proclaim that the planet has entered the Crawfordian age (named after the lake of course, following the protocol). However, the recommendations must be approved by a supermajority vote of two separate committees before final validation by the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS). Point of no return? Succinctly put, the Crawfordian age represents the point of no return in geological terms. The planet endured a long period of climate stability where human civilisation was able to grow but the future might not hold similar conditions for the generations to come. Such has been the devastating impact of humans on Earth that last month, a new study published in Geophysical Research Letters, a journal by the American Geophysical Union stated that the planet had tilted as much as 80 centimetres (31.5 inches) between 1993 and 2010. The reason was attributed to humans pumping out indiscriminate amounts of groundwater and moving it elsewhere. Also read | ‘Surprised and concerned’: Scientists find groundwater extracted by humans has shifted tilt of Earth’s axis Climate change has become a routine phenomenon during this epoch. Currently, USA's southwestern states are sweltering under extreme heat with temperatures touching three figures. Meanwhile, in India, China, Japan and other Asian countries, floods have devastated human lives. The power of humans is being classed in the same category as the meteorite that crashed into Earth 66 million years ago and wiped out dinosaurs, starting the Cenozoic Era. For the first time in Earth's history, a single species has not only radically changed the planet's morphology, chemistry and biology, but is aware of having done so. And yet, little to nothing is being done to reverse the damage. The scientists may or may not be able to convince their peers towards the Anthropocene, mostly on technical grounds but one thing is clear, the Earth has changed, and not for good reasons. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Explained | What is Anthropocene? The new epoch marked by damaging human impact

Scientists have long been intrigued by the geology of Brazil's volcanic Trindade Island, but recent discoveries of plastic rocks in this remote turtle habitat have raised concerns.&nbsp;

On the island, situated almost&nbsp;1,140 kilometres (708 miles) from the state of Espirito Santo in the southeast, melted plastic has interwoven itself with rocks, which geologists say is proof of humans' growing influence over the earth's geological cycles.

“This is new and terrifying at the same time, because pollution has reached geology,” said Fernanda Avelar Santos, a geologist at the Federal University of Parana, who spoke to Reuters.&nbsp;

Santos and her team performed chemical tests to determine the type of plastics found in the "plastiglomerates," which are rocks composed of a mixture of sedimentary granules and other debris held together by plastic.

“We identified [the pollution] mainly comes from fishing nets, which is very common debris on Trinidade Island’s beaches,” Santos said. “The [nets] are dragged by the marine currents and accumulate on the beach. When the temperature rises, this plastic melts and becomes embedded with the beach’s natural material.”

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/study-suggests-high-caffeine-levels-my-reduce-risk-of-type-2-diabetes-572318">Study suggests high caffeine levels may reduce risk of type 2 diabetes</a>

The green turtle, Chelonia mydas, is one of the most endangered species in the world, and every year, thousands of them come to lay their eggs on Trindade Island. The Brazilian navy, which keeps a base on the island and guards the turtle nests, is the only human population on Trindade.

“The place where we found these samples [of plastic] is a permanently preserved area in Brazil, near the place green turtles lay their eggs,” Santos said.

Santos claims that the discovery raises concerns about the impact of humans on the environment.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/watch-japanese-astronomer-captures-meteor-crashing-into-the-moon-572430">Japanese astronomer captures meteor crashing into moon</a>

“We talk so much about the Anthropocene, and this is it,” Santos told Reuters, referring to a proposed geological epoch defined by humans’ impact on the planet’s geology and ecosystems.

“The pollution, the garbage in the sea and the plastic dumped incorrectly in the oceans is becoming geological material ... preserved in the earth’s geological records,” she added.&nbsp;

(With puts from agencies)

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Scientists have long been intrigued by the geology of Brazil's volcanic Trindade Island, but recent discoveries of plastic rocks in this remote turtle habitat have raised concerns.

Scientists have long been intrigued by the geology of Brazil's volcanic Trindade Island, but recent discoveries of plastic rocks in this remote turtle habitat have raised concerns. On the island, situated almost 1,140 kilometres (708 miles) from the state of Espirito Santo in the southeast, melted plastic has interwoven itself with rocks, which geologists say is proof of humans' growing influence over the earth's geological cycles. “This is new and terrifying at the same time, because pollution has reached geology,” said Fernanda Avelar Santos, a geologist at the Federal University of Parana, who spoke to Reuters. Santos and her team performed chemical tests to determine the type of plastics found in the "plastiglomerates," which are rocks composed of a mixture of sedimentary granules and other debris held together by plastic. “We identified [the pollution] mainly comes from fishing nets, which is very common debris on Trinidade Island’s beaches,” Santos said. “The [nets] are dragged by the marine currents and accumulate on the beach. When the temperature rises, this plastic melts and becomes embedded with the beach’s natural material.” ALSO READ | Study suggests high caffeine levels may reduce risk of type 2 diabetes The green turtle, Chelonia mydas, is one of the most endangered species in the world, and every year, thousands of them come to lay their eggs on Trindade Island. The Brazilian navy, which keeps a base on the island and guards the turtle nests, is the only human population on Trindade. “The place where we found these samples [of plastic] is a permanently preserved area in Brazil, near the place green turtles lay their eggs,” Santos said. Santos claims that the discovery raises concerns about the impact of humans on the environment. ALSO READ | Japanese astronomer captures meteor crashing into moon “We talk so much about the Anthropocene, and this is it,” Santos told Reuters, referring to a proposed geological epoch defined by humans’ impact on the planet’s geology and ecosystems. “The pollution, the garbage in the sea and the plastic dumped incorrectly in the oceans is becoming geological material ... preserved in the earth’s geological records,” she added. (With puts from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'Plastic' rocks found on remote Brazil islands, scientists raise concerns

Iraq's mighty Tigris river is slowly dying. With drought looming over the region and pollutants contaminating the waters of the river, the second largest river in West Asia is facing a major threat.

WION Climate Tracker | Human activity, climate change chokes Tigris river in Iraq

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