Jake Harper
Chicken bones may be the legacy of our time. With a standing population of more than 22.7 billion, domesticated chickens far outnumber the world's most abundant wild bird—the red-billed quelea, which has a population of about 1.5 billion. Humans consume a staggering 60 billion chickens annually, and their remains are often discarded in landfills, where they mummify and may even fossilize. The sheer abundance of chicken consumption, coupled with the strange skeletons of modern chickens, will likely leave a unique mark in the fossil record of the Anthropocene, the current geological age defined by human influence on the planet.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of chickens on Earth at any given time | 21.4 billion-23 billion |
| Number of chickens consumed each year | 60 billion |
| Number of chickens consumed each year (alternative estimate) | 65 billion |
| Chicken population compared to other birds | 10 times greater than any other bird species |
| Chicken population compared to the second most numerous bird, the red-billed quelea | 40 times greater |
| Chicken as a marker of human existence | Chicken bones may be one of the most enduring marks of human impact on Earth |
| Chicken bones in landfills | Chicken bones often end up in landfills, where they can become mummified and preserved for millions of years |
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What You'll Learn
The fossil record of the Anthropocene
The Anthropocene is a term used to describe humans' unprecedented influence on the planet. The word comes from the Greek terms for human ('anthropo') and new ('cene'), and it was coined in the 1980s by atmospheric chemist Paul J. Crutzen and diatom researcher Eugene F. Stoermer. It is widely accepted that humans have had a significant impact on Earth and its inhabitants, and this impact will likely be lasting and potentially irreversible.
Another key marker of the Anthropocene in the fossil record will be plastic. Plastic does not biodegrade and ends up littering soils and ocean beds. There is already evidence that plastic is being deposited into the fossil record, with a 2019 study of sediments off the Californian coast finding that plastic deposits have been rising since the 1940s.
Additionally, the burning of fossil fuels will be recorded in carbonate sediments, mammal teeth, and other geologic materials. The oxygen isotopes being deposited throughout the Anthropocene Event will track the rapid increase in global average temperature.
Finally, human activities and remains will also be reflected in the fossil record of the Anthropocene. Humans ritually bury their dead, often with preservatives, which increases the chances of bodies becoming fossils. Furthermore, the artifacts and physical objects humans create, especially those made of durable substances like metals, ceramics, and plastics, are likely to be fossilized and discovered in the geologic record.
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Chicken consumption and its impact
Chicken consumption has been steadily increasing since 1949, with the per capita availability of chicken meat rising continuously over the years. Chicken is a popular food item in most countries and is the most consumed meat in the United States. The demand for chicken has been fuelled by its affordability, accessibility, and nutritional value. It is a good source of protein and other nutrients, often lower in fat than meat from other animal sources.
The chicken industry has responded to the growing demand by developing chickens specifically for meat production. Intensive farming and selective breeding have led to the creation of the “broiler” chicken, which grows to become four to five times heavier than birds from the 1950s. This has resulted in unprecedented changes in the size, number, and composition of chicken bones.
The impact of chicken consumption goes beyond satisfying our dietary needs. The sheer volume of chicken consumption has led to an accumulation of carcasses in landfills, where the oxygen-free conditions mummify the organic matter, preserving the bones. Geologists have proposed that the abundance of chicken bones in the fossil record will be a defining feature of the Anthropocene, a new epoch in Earth's history marked by human influence.
The health effects of chicken consumption have also been studied. Limited evidence suggests that consuming lean, unprocessed chicken as a primary source of dietary protein can have beneficial or neutral effects on body weight, body composition, and risk factors for cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes. However, observational studies have yielded inconsistent findings, possibly due to varying cooking methods and preservation methods.
As the global population continues to grow, chicken production is expected to increase to meet the rising demand. This will further emphasize the impact of chicken consumption on our planet and our health.
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Human-directed changes to chicken anatomy
Chickens were first domesticated around 8,000 years ago, but human intervention in their anatomy has been especially marked since intensive farming took off in the mid-20th century.
The modern broiler chicken, the variety farmed for meat, is now unrecognisable from its wild ancestor, the red jungle fowl. Today's chickens grow to be four or five times heavier than birds from the 1950s. The leg bone of a juvenile broiler is triple the width and double the length of a red jungle fowl equivalent.
These changes in size and composition are due to selective breeding, with chickens bred and fed specifically for mass consumption. This has resulted in a relative decrease in the size of organs such as the heart and lungs, which restricts their function and longevity. Changes in the centre of gravity of the body, reduced pelvic limb muscle mass, and increased pectoral muscle mass cause poor locomotion and frequent lameness.
Chickens have also lost their capacity to fly. This may be due to a loss of positive selection for flying ability as domesticated chickens are usually granted access to reliable sources of food, so flight becomes less essential for survival. The selection of domesticated chickens for specific traits, such as heavier weight, may also have pleiotropic effects that reduce flight capacity.
The sheer abundance of chicken consumption, coupled with the strange skeletons of modern chickens, will likely leave a unique mark in the fossil record. With a standing population of over 20 billion, domesticated chickens far outnumber the world's most abundant wild bird. Over 60 billion are slaughtered every year, and their bones are often preserved in landfills, where they mummify and have the potential to fossilise.
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Chicken bones as markers of human existence
With a standing population of more than 22.7 billion, domesticated chickens far outnumber the world's most abundant wild bird—the red-billed quelea, which has a population of about 1.5 billion. This explosion in chicken farming, coupled with the rapid changes in the form of chickens due to selective breeding, makes their bones ideal signs of our time.
The bones of today's chickens will undoubtedly become fossilized as a representation of when humans dominated planet Earth. In fact, the signature fossil of our current geological time might be chicken bones. Researchers have noticed an unprecedented change in the size, number, and composition of chicken bones at the advent of modern factory farming in the mid-20th century. Today's chickens grow to become four to five times as heavy as birds from the 1950s, and the leg bone of a juvenile broiler chicken is triple the width and double the length of a red jungle fowl equivalent.
The domestication of chickens started around 8,000 years ago, but humans have since come up with numerous innovations to feed our growing appetite for chicken products. These innovations have resulted in strange and singular skeletal features unique to the modern human era. Thus, the fossilized chicken bones of today will be a major and unique marker of our changing biosphere and our unprecedented influence on the planet.
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Chicken farming and slaughter
The domestication of chickens began around 8,000 years ago, but the practice of intensive farming developed in the mid-20th century, leading to a marked change in the size and composition of chicken bones. Modern broiler chickens, which are farmed for meat, can grow to become four to five times heavier than birds from the 1950s. This rapid growth of muscle tissue leads to a decrease in the size of other organs, impacting the chicken's longevity. As a result, they are typically slaughtered between five and seven weeks of age, as increasing their lifespan further significantly increases the mortality rate.
The process of slaughtering chickens in modern poultry processing plants aims to be quick and painless. Chickens are first rendered unconscious through methods like electrical stunning or controlled atmosphere stunning (CAS) systems that use carbon dioxide or a reduction in atmospheric pressure. After being stunned, a single cut is made to the throat, and trained workers are on standby to euthanize any birds that may still be alive. Following slaughter, the feathers are removed by a machine called a "picker," and the birds are then eviscerated to remove internal organs and feet.
The sheer number of chicken carcasses, estimated at 60 billion per year, and the changes in their bone structure due to selective breeding, contribute to the notion that chicken bones will be a significant marker of the Anthropocene, a proposed new epoch in Earth's history characterized by human influence. The disposal of chicken carcasses in landfills, where they mummify and have the potential to fossilize, further emphasizes the enduring impact of chicken farming and slaughter on the planet.
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Frequently asked questions
It is estimated that there are 23 billion chickens on Earth at any given time, with 60 billion chickens being slaughtered every year. This means that there are likely tens of billions of chicken bones on the planet.
Humans consume a lot of chicken, with over 60 billion chickens being consumed each year. Chicken consumption has increased due to the rise of intensive farming in the mid-20th century.
Many chicken bones end up in landfills, where they can become mummified or fossilized due to the oxygen-free conditions. This means that chicken bones could endure for millions of years.
The abundance of chicken bones, coupled with the unique characteristics of modern chickens, could make them a major marker of the human impact on the planet. Geologists have proposed that the age of humans constitutes a new epoch in Earth's history, known as the Anthropocene.
The presence of chicken bones in the fossil record could indicate human civilization's influence on the planet, particularly in terms of intensive farming and changes to the environment.
