Translucence: Some Notations on Sediments, Amber, Toxic Chemicals, and the Possibility of Returns

The ongoing repercussions of a permanently and persistently polluted planet present a critical juncture that requires new analytical engagements. This article uses translucence as a conceptual vehicle to explore chemical pollution by comparing amber with a buried chemical waste depot. These two modes of submergence animate discussions about time, existence, desirable and undesirable futures, and pasts. Translucence – light passing through a semi-transparent object and thus becoming transformed – helps conceptualize epistemes that diffusively alter perspectives rather than being clear or opaque. The article combines text and sound (http://doi.org/10.30687/LGSP/2785‑2709/2025/01/006/mmedia/001) to explore experiences of pollution and landscape across dual media interfaces