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17. The Golden Spike

Buried under a small lake in Canada, a scientist unearths evidence that the planet is entering a distinctive and dangerous new period.

At a conference in Mexico, one scientist’s outburst launches a global quest.

Hannah Fry follows a group of researchers on the hunt for a ‘golden spike’: the boundary, marking a shift into a dramatic new geological period dominated, not by volcanoes and asteroids, but the influence of humans.

From plastics and concrete to nuclear fallout, the data they uncover reveals a planet profoundly changed. But can these scientists persuade their colleagues - and the world?

Producer: Ilan Goodman
Sound Designer: Jon Nicholls
Story Editor: John Yorke

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16 minutes

Last on

Tue 17 Sep 2024 13:45

Broadcast

  • Tue 17 Sep 2024 13:45

Podcast