Ngo-2050, kulindeleke ukuthi kube nabantu abayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane eziyishumi. Lokhu kusho ukuthi iplanethi yoMhlaba kuzofanele yondle futhi inikeze zonke izinsiza ezidingwa yilowo nalowo wabantu. Sicabanga ukuthi ungakwazi, kodwa iqiniso elidabukisayo ukuthi ukudla, amanzi, uwoyela, nezinye izinto eziningi esinazo manje yimithombo elinganiselwe.
Uma kuze kube manje izimpi zilwelwa ukunqoba izindawo ezintsha, ezikhathini zakamuva sibona ezinye izinhlobo zezingxabano, futhi isimo asibonakali sifuna ukuguquka. Empeleni, akushiwo nje kuphela ukuthi iMpi Yesithathu Yomhlaba izobe imayelana namanzi, kepha isimo sezulu sizohluka kakhulu, uma siqhubeka nokuzibandakanya ngokumboza izindawo eziluhlaza ngosimende netiyela esikhundleni sokunakekela iplanethi. Ngokwezinga elingaka kungashintsha konke, ukuthi singadala nenkathi entsha yokwakheka komhlaba: iPlutocene.
Yini iPlutocene?
IPlutocene yigama eliqanjwe ngu-paleoclimatologist u-Andrew Glikson, wase-Australia National University, ngubani ichaza inkathi engemva kwe-Anthropocene, ezobekwa uphawu ngendwangu yolwandle olwandle olucebe nge-plutonium.
Impilo ngabe injani eMhlabeni?
Kunzima kakhulu. Ngokusho kukaGlikson, izinga lokushisa elijwayelekile leplanethi lingakhuphukela ku 4 degree centigrade ngaphezu kwalokho ezikhathini zangaphambi kwezimboni, futhi nezinga lezilwandle belizokhuphuka phakathi 10 namamitha ayi-40 ngenhla kwale yamanje.
Ukube bekunomuntu, lokhu bezophoqeleka ukuthi bathuthele ezindaweni eziphakeme kakhulu nobubanzi ukuze baphile. Kepha, njengoba usosayensi echaza, isintu sizoba sengozini yokunyamalala.
Kwakuzohlala isikhathi eside kangakanani?
Isazi se-paleoclimatologist siphawule ukuthi ubude be-Plutocene buzoxhomeka ezicini ezimbili: engxenyeni yempilo ye-plutonium enemisebe engu-239 esetshenziswe ekwenziweni kwezikhali zenuzi- kanye nesikhathi esingaba khona lapho i-carbon dioxide izohlala emkhathini. Sekukonke, ucabanga ukuthi kungahlala phakathi Iminyaka ye-20.000 ne-24.100.
Ukugwema lokhu-ke, kungasiza kakhulu ukuthi kungaqhubeki nokwakha noma ukukhiqiza izikhali zenuzi noma ukungcolisa uMhlaba. Akufanele sikhohlwe ukuthi, okungenani okwamanje, ukuphela kwekhaya esinalo.
Uma udinga eminye imininingwane, chofoza lapha.