<p> Earth's technosphere, which comprises of all the structures that humans have constructed to keep them alive on the planet, amounts to an enormous 30 trillion tonnes, a new study has found.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Researchers, including those at University of Leicester in the UK, made the first estimate of the sheer size of the physical structure of the planet's technosphere.<br /><br />"The technosphere is a major new phenomenon of this planet - and one that is evolving extraordinarily rapidly," said Professor Mark Williams from University of Leicester.<br /><br />It is comprised of all of the structures that humans have constructed to keep them alive on the planet - from houses, factories and farms to computer systems, smartphones and CDs, to the waste in landfills and spoil heaps.<br /><br />Researchers suggest that the bulk of the planet's technosphere is staggering in scale, with some 30 trillion tonnes representing a mass of more than 50 kilogrammes for every square metre of the Earth's surface.<br /><br />"Humans and human organisations form part of it, too - although we are not always as much in control as we think we are, as the technosphere is a system, with its own dynamics and energy flows – and humans have to help keep it going to survive," Jan Zalasiewicz of University of Leicester said.<br /><br />The Anthropocene concept - a proposed epoch highlighting the impact humans have made to the planet - has provided an understanding that humans have greatly changed the Earth.<br /><br />"The technosphere can be said to have budded off the biosphere and arguably is now at least partly parasitic on it. At its current scale the technosphere is a major new phenomenon of this planet - and one that is evolving extraordinarily rapidly," Williams said.<br /><br />"Compared with the biosphere, though, it is remarkably poor at recycling its own materials, as our burgeoning landfill sites show. This might be a barrier to its further success - or halt it altogether," said Williams.<br /><br />The researchers believe the technosphere is some measure of the extent to which we have reshaped our planet.<br /><br />"There is more to the technosphere than just its mass," said Colin Waters from the Leicester's Department of Geology.<br /><br />"It has enabled the production of an enormous array of material objects, from simple tools and coins, to ballpoint pens, books and CDs, to the most sophisticated computers and smartphones.<br /><br />"Many of these, if entombed in strata, can be preserved into the distant geological future as 'technofossils' that will help characterise and date the Anthropocene," said Waters.<br /><br />If technofossils were to be classified as palaeontologists classify normal fossils - based on their shape, form and texture - the study suggests that the number of individual types of 'technofossil' now on the planet likely reaches a billion or more - thus far outnumbering the numbers of biotic species now living. The study was published in the journal Anthropocene Review.</p>
<p> Earth's technosphere, which comprises of all the structures that humans have constructed to keep them alive on the planet, amounts to an enormous 30 trillion tonnes, a new study has found.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Researchers, including those at University of Leicester in the UK, made the first estimate of the sheer size of the physical structure of the planet's technosphere.<br /><br />"The technosphere is a major new phenomenon of this planet - and one that is evolving extraordinarily rapidly," said Professor Mark Williams from University of Leicester.<br /><br />It is comprised of all of the structures that humans have constructed to keep them alive on the planet - from houses, factories and farms to computer systems, smartphones and CDs, to the waste in landfills and spoil heaps.<br /><br />Researchers suggest that the bulk of the planet's technosphere is staggering in scale, with some 30 trillion tonnes representing a mass of more than 50 kilogrammes for every square metre of the Earth's surface.<br /><br />"Humans and human organisations form part of it, too - although we are not always as much in control as we think we are, as the technosphere is a system, with its own dynamics and energy flows – and humans have to help keep it going to survive," Jan Zalasiewicz of University of Leicester said.<br /><br />The Anthropocene concept - a proposed epoch highlighting the impact humans have made to the planet - has provided an understanding that humans have greatly changed the Earth.<br /><br />"The technosphere can be said to have budded off the biosphere and arguably is now at least partly parasitic on it. At its current scale the technosphere is a major new phenomenon of this planet - and one that is evolving extraordinarily rapidly," Williams said.<br /><br />"Compared with the biosphere, though, it is remarkably poor at recycling its own materials, as our burgeoning landfill sites show. This might be a barrier to its further success - or halt it altogether," said Williams.<br /><br />The researchers believe the technosphere is some measure of the extent to which we have reshaped our planet.<br /><br />"There is more to the technosphere than just its mass," said Colin Waters from the Leicester's Department of Geology.<br /><br />"It has enabled the production of an enormous array of material objects, from simple tools and coins, to ballpoint pens, books and CDs, to the most sophisticated computers and smartphones.<br /><br />"Many of these, if entombed in strata, can be preserved into the distant geological future as 'technofossils' that will help characterise and date the Anthropocene," said Waters.<br /><br />If technofossils were to be classified as palaeontologists classify normal fossils - based on their shape, form and texture - the study suggests that the number of individual types of 'technofossil' now on the planet likely reaches a billion or more - thus far outnumbering the numbers of biotic species now living. The study was published in the journal Anthropocene Review.</p>