In December 2020, Nature published a study claiming that the amount of man-made goods (i.e., artifacts) exceeded the amount of natural biomass. I do not intend to assess the validity of such a statement (the article also sources data and method of calculation), rather I would add a few archaeological considerations:
- So we find ourselves in the anthropocene, the mystical time remembered with such love in the futuristic novels of the naive science fiction.
Rusian newspaper “Techics for Youth” showing a town of future (pub. 1949)
- This is great news for archaeologists, who are constantly complaining that the number of artifacts is not finite and is decreasing (searchers with detectors, plowing and what I know what else …)
- The calculation of the mass of artifacts includes such standard things as industrial goods, concrete, asphalt, steel, condoms and plastic bags … However, I think … I think that walking today’s agricultural landscape makes you wonder if the landscape itself, widespread human phenotype, is not by its nature (arrangement, function) one big artifact ….
Is this field a natue or artefact?
And if not previous, is this nature or artifact? Or both?