That's the magic of the geological record.

在漫长的时间轨迹里，不可能变为可能。

Our impact is so profound, most scientists believe humanity has left a permanent mark on Earth's geological record.

我们的影响是如此深远，多数科学家认为人类在地球的地理记载中留下了永久的印记。

We can look at the geological record of earth at that time and see that there were dramatic climate changes taking place.

我们可以看一看那一时期地球的地质记录，能够看到当时正发生着剧烈的气候变化。

Such " terminations" are visible in the geological record.

这种“终止”在地质记录中是可见的。

The explanation lies, as I believe, in the extreme imperfection of the geological record.

我认为，解释在于地质记录的极度不完善。

But the value of this evidence depends entirely on the perfection of the geological record, in relation to periods remote in the history of the world.

但这一证据的价值完全取决于地质记录的完善程度， 与世界历史上遥远的时期有关。

In 2000 Paul Crutzen, a Dutch meteorologist and chemist, suggested that human influence over Earth was sufficiently profound that its effects would remain visible in the geological record for millions of years.

2000年，荷兰气象学家和化学家保罗·克鲁岑提出，人类对地球的影响非常深远，其影响将在数百万年的地质记录中保持可见。

It may be worth while to sum up the foregoing remarks on the causes of the imperfection of the geological record under an imaginary illustration.

可能值得用一个想象的例子来总结上述关于地质记录不完善的原因的评论。

That the geological record is imperfect all will admit; but that it is imperfect to the degree required by our theory, few will be inclined to admit.

所有人都会承认地质记录不完善； 但它并不完美到我们理论所要求的程度， 很少有人愿意承认。

But instead of being divided into months, weeks, and days, it’s separated into eons, eras, periods, epochs, and ages, based on major environmental changes that have altered the geological record forever.

但它并没有被划分为月、周和日，而是根据永久改变了地质记录的重大环境变化， 被划分为亿万年、纪元、时期、纪元和年代。

And according to a report released last week by a team of geologists, it may be time to recognize that humans have had exactly this kind of permanent impact on the geological record.

根据一组地质学家上周发布的一份报告，可能是时候认识到人类对地质记录产生了这种永久性影响。

But we continually overrate the perfection of the geological record, and falsely infer, because certain genera or families have not been found beneath a certain stage, that they did not exist before that stage.

但是我们不断地高估地质记录的完善程度，并错误地推断， 因为某些属或科在某个阶段下没有被发现， 所以它们在那个阶段之前不存在。

During the periods of subsidence, there would probably be much extinction of life; during the periods of elevation, there would be much variation, but the geological record would then be less perfect.

在下沉期间， 可能会有很多生命灭绝；在海拔升高的时期， 会有很大的变化， 但地质记录会不那么完美。

But the imperfection in the geological record largely results from another and more important cause than any of the foregoing; namely, from the several formations being separated from each other by wide intervals of time.

但是地质记录的不完善主要是由另一个比上述任何原因都更重要的原因造成的；也就是说，从几个编队被很长的时间间隔彼此分开。

All this seemed trivial to the true Darwinian, and to Sir Charles it was mere defect in the geological record. Sir Charles labored only to heap up the evidences of evolution; to cumulate them till the mass became irresistible.

所有这一切对真正的达尔文主义者来说似乎都是微不足道的，而对查尔斯爵士来说，这只是地质记录中的缺陷。查尔斯爵士只是努力收集进化论的证据；累积它们直到质量变得不可抗拒。

It should also be borne in mind, that the law may be true, but yet, owing to the geological record not extending far enough back in time, may remain for a long period, or for ever, incapable of demonstration.

还应牢记，该定律可能是真实的，但由于地质记录的时间回溯不够远，可能会长期或永远无法证明。