VOA慢速英语听力：人类世：新人类时代 Anthropocene: New Human Epoch.
Since the middle of the 20th century, humans have had a very strong effect on planet Earth. These effects have included climate change, species loss, and pollution. Humanity's impact has been so strong that scientists say a new geological epoch began then.
自20世纪中叶以来，人类对地球产生了非常强烈的影响。这些影响包括气候变化、物种灭绝和污染。科学家们表示，人类的影响力已经非常强大，以至于他们说这个时期开始了一个新的地质纪元。
The scientists call it the Anthropocene epoch. The word comes from the Greek terms for "human" and "new." This epoch started sometime between 1950 and 1954, the scientists say.
科学家们称其为“人类世”。这个词源于希腊语中的“人类”和“新”的词汇。科学家们表示，这个时期始于1950年至1954年之间。
There is evidence worldwide of the harmful impact on the Earth's health of burning fossil fuels, dropping nuclear weapons, and releasing fertilizers and plastics on land and in water.
全球范围内存在着燃烧化石燃料、投放核武器以及在陆地和水中释放化肥和塑料对地球健康造成有害影响的证据。
"It's quite clear that the scale of change has intensified unbelievably, and that has to be human impact," said University of Leicester geologist Colin Waters. He led the Anthropocene Working Group.
莱斯特大学的地质学家科林·沃特斯表示：“很明显，变化的规模变得不可思议地剧烈，这一定是人类的影响。”他领导着人类世工作组。
The scientists say the power of humans is comparable with the meteorite that crashed into Earth 66 million years ago. The meteorite killed off the dinosaurs and started the Cenozoic Era, or what is known as the age of mammals. While that meteorite started a whole new era, the working group is proposing that humans only started a new epoch. An epoch is a much smaller geological time period.
科学家们说，人类的力量可与6,600万年前撞击地球的陨石相媲美。那颗陨石灭绝了恐龙，开启了新生代，也就是被称为哺乳动物时代的时期。虽然那颗陨石开启了一个全新的时代，但工作组提出，人类只是开始了一个新的地质纪元。地质纪元是一个较小的地质时间段。
The scientists are proposing a small but deep lake outside of Toronto, Canada, to place a historic marker. The lake is called Crawford Lake. The group aims to decide on an exact start date of the Anthropocene by measuring plutonium levels at the bottom of Crawford Lake.
科学家们提议在加拿大多伦多外面的一个名为Crawford Lake的小而深的湖泊上设置一个历史标志。该小组旨在通过测量Crawford Lake湖底的钚水平，确定人类世的确切开始日期。
Crawford Lake is 29 meters deep and 24,000 square meters wide. It was chosen over 11 other sites because the yearly effects of human activity on the earth's soil, atmosphere, and biology are clearly shown in its layers of sediment. That includes everything from the effect of nuclear weapons to pollution to rising temperatures.
Crawford Lake深29米，面积为24,000平方米。它被选中而不是其他11个地点，是因为人类活动对地球土壤、大气和生物的年度影响在其沉积层中清晰地显示出来。这包括从核武器的影响到污染和升温的各种因素。
There are clear signs in Crawford Lake showing that, starting in 1950, "the effects of humans overwhelm the Earth system," said Francine McCarthy. She is part of the working group who specializes in that site as an Earth sciences professor at Brock University in Canada.
Crawford Lake中有明显的迹象表明，从1950年开始，“人类对地球系统的影响超过了其承受能力，”Francine McCarthy说道。她是该工作组的一员，也是加拿大布鲁克大学的地球科学教授，专门研究该地点。
The Anthropocene shows the power — and hubris — of humankind, several scientists said. Hubris is a great or foolish amount of confidence.
几位科学家表示，人类世展示了人类的力量和傲慢。傲慢是一种巨大或愚蠢的自信。
"The hubris is in imagining that we are in control," said former U.S. White House science adviser John Holdren. He was not part of the working group of scientists. He disagrees with the group's proposed start date. Instead, he wants one much earlier. Holdren said the power of humans to change the environment is far greater than their understanding of the impacts.
“傲慢在于想象我们掌控一切，”前美国白宫科学顾问约翰·霍尔德伦说道。他并非科学家工作组的一员，他不同意该组提出的开始日期，而是希望早得多。霍尔德伦表示，人类改变环境的能力远远超过他们对其影响的理解。
Geologists measure time in eons, eras, periods, epochs, and ages, with eons being the longest. The scientific working group is proposing that the Anthropocene Epoch followed the Holocene Epoch. Holocene started about 11,700 years ago at the end of an ice age.
地质学家按照长期、纪、期、世和代来测量时间，其中长期是最长的。科学工作组提议人类世纪紧随全新世纪之后。全新世始于大约11,700年前，即冰河时代结束时。
The proposal still needs to be approved by three different groups of geologists. It could be signed at a major conference next year.
这个提案仍需要获得三个不同的地质学团体的批准。它可能会在明年的一次重要会议上签署。
Naomi Oreskes is a science historian with Harvard University and a working group member. She said if there is no change to harmful human activities, "we are headed for tragedy."
Naomi Oreskes是哈佛大学的科学历史学家，也是该工作组的成员。她表示，如果对有害的人类活动没有改变，“我们将面临灾难。”
I'm Dan Novak.
我是丹·诺瓦克。
Words in This Story
species — n. a group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants
impact — n. a powerful or major influence or effect
geology — n. a science that studies rocks, layers of soil, etc., in order to learn about the history of the Earth and its life
epoch — n. a period of time that is very important in history
fertilizer — n. a substance that is added to soil to help the growth of plants
scale — n. : a device that is used for weighing people or things
meteorite — n. a piece of rock or metal that has fallen to the ground from outer space
sediment — n. material that sinks to the bottom of a liquid
overwhelm — v. to cause to have too many things to deal with
hubris — n. a great or foolish amount of pride or confidence
