LONDON, ENGLAND—According to a CNN report, researchers from the University of York have detected 16 types of microplastic polymers in soil collected from archaeological sites. Archived soil samples were tested, along with fresh samples. “This feels like an important moment, confirming what we should have expected: that what were previously thought to be pristine archaeological deposits, ripe for investigation, are in fact contaminated with plastics, and that this includes deposits sampled and stored in the late 1980s,” said archaeologist John Schofield. David Jennings of York Archaeology explained that the presence of microplastics in the soil changes its chemistry, and therefore could cause organic artifacts to decay. It may no longer be appropriate to preserve archaeological sites in place, he explained. The scientists will continue to investigate the possible impact of the chemicals on archaeological deposits. To read about excavation of modern material at a video game dump site, go to "The Video Game Graveyard."
