For the first time in human history, artificial materials such as concrete and metal predominateand plasticthe entire biomass of the earth. Researchers from Israel recently reported on this in a study comparing man-made materials and the earth's biomass.
Researchers from Israel prove: Artificial materials outweigh biomass
The study in the“Nature” magazinewas published, had the task of determining the full weight of all the materials that humanity has produced on our planet. The study provides a quantitative characteristic of the Anthropocene, the geological era of humanity. Given the empirical data on the general mass of human artifacts, we can no longer deny our primary role in nature.
The authors divided the artificial materials into 6 groups:
1. Concrete
2. Brick
3. Asphalt
4. Metal and plastic
5. Wood for buildings and paper
6. Glas
They then compared their weight with the world's biomass, that is, the general weight of all living things, including the weight of all humans and the plants and animals we grow and raise for food. The Earth's biomass is 1.1 teratons. The conclusion was: The year 2020 was “the crossroads” where man-made materials outweighed natural ones.
However, that is not the only surprising result of the study. Human influence is growing rapidly, doubling every 20 years in human history. As much artificial material is produced per capita every week as the weight of a human being. The heaviest man-made objects are the buildings and infrastructure, which are usually constructed of concrete, brick and asphalt. Plastic alone outweighs all marine and land animals. The weight of the waste was not taken into account, which would make the result even more dramatic.
The artificial materials are heavier than nature on Earth: How did this happen?
How could this happen? In 1900, man-made materials accounted for only 3% of the weight of Earth's biomass. The rapid growth is due to two factors. First, the production of artificial materials is growing faster than human reproduction. Second, humanity is reducing biomass by producing more and more artificial materials.
Since the agricultural revolution, humans have reduced plant biomass by approximately half. Modern agriculture uses more and more land to grow grain crops, yet their total mass is far exceeded by the loss of plant biomass. This loss is due to deforestation and land use change. These trends in biomass affect the global carbon cycle and human health.
The researchers hope these results will encourage people to reduce their pressure on nature.
