Paleontologists Sarah Gabbott and Jan Zalasiewicz explore in their book 'Discarded' how modern life’s artifacts, termed technofossils, may outlast biological fossils in the geological record. They predict that objects like polyester and keyboards could serve as indicators of human life millions of years from now, challenging both preservation methods and the interpretation of artifacts by future civilizations or alien visitors. The authors highlight the uncertainty surrounding the longevity of these items and their journey towards becoming fossils, emphasizing a legacy that is both abundant and peculiar to explore.
We're making things that will be more durable than the stuff biology makes. That's probably going to last a long time.
What the hell are they going to make of all this stuff? Those are the two big unknowns.
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