In 1959, human activities began altering the Moon, kicking off the “Lunar Anthropocene,” according to University of Kansas scientists. Humans have influenced the Moon’s ecosystem with over 100 spacecraft visits in 64 years. The researchers claim that human activity, including spacecraft contacts, shapes the Moon’s topography.
Scientists Declare the Beginning of the Lunar Anthropocene
In a recent Nature Geoscience publication, the scientists note that humans have shaped the Moon since the Soviet Union’s Luna 2 spacecraft struck its surface in 1959. The Lunar Anthropocene, like the Earthly Anthropocene, has likely begun, according to main author Justin Holcomb. The team wants to recognize it before human-caused lunar halo effects are visible.
The researchers believe that over 100 spacecraft interacting with the Moon, including crash landings and human missions, marks a geological epoch. Human activity will impact the lunar terrain in the next 50 years, providing issues, especially with numerous countries planning expeditions, according to Holcomb.
Contrary to “leave no trace” outdoor ethic, human activities on the Moon have left a mark. Items left on the moon, especially abandoned spacecraft, can damage its delicate exosphere and ice. The researchers urge future expeditions to mitigate lunar ecosystem damage.
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Protecting the Moon: Researchers Declare Lunar Anthropocene and Advocate for Responsible Exploration
Researchers use the Lunar Anthropocene declaration for numerous purposes. First, it highlights lunar sites’ vulnerability to damaging disturbances because of a lack of legal or policy protections. Second, it works with archaeologists and anthropologists to document each human-Moon connection.
Researchers see Moon footprints as an extension of humanity’s journey and a major evolutionary milestone. They want to record human existence on the Moon and integrate it into evolution by documenting and preserving these traces.
The researchers conclude that human actions have created the Lunar Anthropocene on the Moon, highlighting the necessity for responsible lunar exploration and documenting our influence.
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