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The Amazon was Partly Planted by Humans Over 10,000 Years Ago
Research shows the Amazon isn’t untouched by humans, but likely formed because of us.
I grew up learning that Antarctica, the Pacific Ocean, and the Amazon are the last places on Earth that remain mostly or completely untouched by humans. It may have been true when I was taught that (too) many years ago, but as technology and human ambition advance, it becomes less accurate each year. For instance, human activity is already harming Antarctica.
We may feel guilt, anger, and anxiety about the impact modern humans have on our (only) planet and the resulting climate change because of it. But it turns out that, once upon a time, Earth benefited from human activity — and the Amazon is one such example.
Is the Amazon Really Untouched By Humans?
The Amazon is the largest rainforest on Earth. Located in South America, the Amazon spans eight countries and one overseas territory, is roughly 28 times the size of the UK, and is home to an estimated 400 billion trees. It’s wild and mysterious, but is it really as pristine and untouched as experts thought?
Researchers have spent years debating the question. They want to know how much, if any, influence human activity has…
