From plastics to smartphones: which "technofossils" will shape the future of archaeology?

In the distant future, archaeologists won't find clay pots and stone tools as they do in traditional excavations. Instead, they're likely to stumble upon the remains of smartphones, plastic bottles, and microchips , all known as "technofossils" : the technological remnants and durable materials that define our era.

The term was coined by scientists concerned about the magnitude of human impact on Earth , especially since the mid-20th century, when the so-called Anthropocene era began. It is a scientific proposal that suggests that humans have altered the planet so much—through technology, urbanization, and pollution—that we have entered a new geological era.

Among all modern waste, plastic stands out as the ultimate technofossil . From supermarket bags to food packaging and synthetic clothing fibers, plastics have become an integral part of everyday life. What's worrying is their extreme resistance to degradation : it's estimated that a PET bottle can take up to 500 years to decompose .

Many plastics end up in the ocean or buried in landfills, where they can be preserved for centuries. When these sediments fossilize, archaeologists of the future could find geological layers rich in synthetic polymers , like fossils from a lost civilization. Some experts already consider plastic to be the definitive marker of the Anthropocene .

If plastic is the symbol of everyday life, smartphones and computers are the emblems of technological advancement. These devices, present in almost every home around the world, are composed of a complex mix of glass, metals, printed circuit boards, and lithium batteries , many of which are difficult to recycle .

Although many people discard their cell phones every few years, their components can survive underground for centuries. Parts like the silicon in chips or rare earth metals like tantalum or neodymium might be the most obvious traces of our digital culture.

Even fragments of USB drives, SIM cards, or server remains could one day turn up as “artifacts” worthy of analysis, revealing how our communications and data storage networks worked .

Another key technofossil will be concrete , the world's most widely used construction material. Roads, bridges, buildings, and dams are part of the infrastructural legacy that will survive long after current civilizations have collapsed .

Although modern concrete can deteriorate over time, its remains persist for millennia. Just as Roman ruins are studied today, archaeologists in the future could excavate cities buried beneath new layers of the earth and find the skeletons of our skyscrapers, subway tunnels, and industrial plants.

Humanity's technological footprint isn't limited to the planet . Since the mid-20th century, space exploration has left thousands of tons of debris orbiting the Earth: inactive satellites, rocket parts, and collision fragments.

These space technofossils will also be part of the human archaeological legacy, but on an interplanetary scale. If any future civilization—human or not—explores our solar system, they could find evidence of our existence floating silently above the atmosphere.

The idea of technofossils not only sparks scientific fascination, but also critical reflection . What does it say about us as a species that our most lasting remains are plastic waste, obsolete cell phones, and concrete structures ?

Some researchers warn that the abundance of technofossils is a sign of the unsustainable consumption model that dominates the world. Planned obsolescence, plastic pollution, and lack of recycling are leaving an irreversible geological mark.

Promoting more sustainable and recyclable technology could reduce the volume and toxicity of these artificial fossils. Ultimately, the archaeology of the future can also be a mirror of the present: one that invites us to change before it's too late .

Technofossils are more than a curiosity of tomorrow: they represent how this era will be inscribed in the history of the planet. From plastics and cell phones to concrete debris and abandoned satellites, the material traces of our society could endure for thousands of years, long after we are gone. The question is: do we want to be remembered for our achievements or for our waste?