What if one day the 7.5 billion people on this planet suddenly disappeared
Now we've talked about some instances where this could have happened in the past
Or how we could one day become extinct so this isn't a fantasy discussion. It's real.
What if a huge nuclear war broke out? Or what if everyone just took off to another planet?
Just what would happen to the earth over time without our influence
While here are some good and some bad things that would happen if just one day humans completely vanished
Sit back and admire the beauty of Mother Nature, and what she would do without us interfering
Power out
Within a few hours of humans leaving the earth, most fossil fuel power stations would shut down as they started running out of fuel
Some wind driven turbines may continue to provide energy
but without maintenance from humans eventually they will also fail.
As would unmaintained solar panels, rendered useless as dust and debris mounted upon them?
It would only be hydroelectric plants that would continue to run
But within a month or so these would also shut down
The knock-on effect of losing power across the world would be pretty catastrophic and makes you realize how dependent on it we've become.
Anything requiring power would fail within days food from fridges and freezers would start rot as
with anything else deep frozen or cooled
This includes precious scientific research samples, as well as carefully preserved ancient artifacts that depend on working
environmental systems to protect them
Think Egyptian mummies and even the wax statues at Madame Tussauds
Most of the world's underground systems would flood due to the pumps that continually pump out water and within a week
The stench of rotting food and other matter would become very apparent
At night most of the world would be in complete darkness and eerie quiet.
Animals reliance on humans for their food
Will try to frantically escape as they get hungry and are trapped in there once loving homes or caged in zoos
Within a month the water needed to cool nuclear power stations will evaporate
Triggering a series of explosions across the world that would be far more devastating than Chernobyl or Fukushima
This would obliterate most plants and animals within the affected zones
Within a year the thousands of satellites humans have placed in the Earth's orbit will come crashing down lighting up the sky as they fall
Plants will take over the once pristine lawns of the suburbs turning them into overgrown fields
Similary weeds will start to grow through cracks in roads pavements and masonry work causing damage to the foundations
the once bustling cities
If not flooded, will begin to fill with wild animals and wild fires sparked by lightning
Storms that will ravage part of the world's bush and forestry
spreading completely unchecked without human intervention
And that's just the beginning,
Farm animals, pets and other animals that rely on humans will struggle.
But what about all the animals? How much of the world's animals are influenced by human activity?
Without humans to feed them, many a domestic, zoo and farm animals will not survive, Unless they can escape they will experience
starvation and lack of water
However, it is possible
that some would escape but this would not be good news for all of them.
As some of the larger dogs and moggy cats would likely turn predator in a desperate attempt to live and would hunt down smaller creatures
Probably our beloved overbred, ornamental, pedigree cats and dogs
Who simply would not be equipped to survive.
The smell of rotting food would lure packs of wolves and other wild animals to the towns and cities where humans once lived
Looting the supermarket's and kitchens that they never dared to venture to before. These places would also become infested with vermin.
Some farm animals would survive
Pigs, sheep and cows in particular would cross with stronger wild breeds to ensure new more robust species
However, most of the world's dairy cows would die out without farmers to feed them the rich feed required for their breed
They would suffer chronic metabolic disorders that would eventually kill them.
Zoo animals that managed to escape may find themselves in unsuitable environments and climates and
In some areas they too will not survive
however, in the right environment
They will thrive, as well prairie dogs a breed that has lost 90% of its population due to overhunting
With no humans to kill them, they would make a dramatic comeback
Insects and birds would also fare well with many of the world's
Skyscrapers becoming their new home and there will also be a small reminder of humans through birds as it's thought many former domestic
parrots will still retain human speech for several years
However, as with everything only the strongest will survive.
Almost all man-made creations will disappear
after 25 years
concrete structures will start to crack and decay. Ravaged by invading vegetation and corroded metal
many houses, flats and
Skyscrapers will now be exposed to the elements and many low-lying cities such as London and Amsterdam will be flooded.
Buildings with exposed metal rods will now be at risk of lightning strikes and many of the once iconic buildings of the 21st century if
still standing will be dilapidated.
Although nearly all man-made structures will be affected some will take longer than others to disappear
It would be up to a hundred years before The Brooklyn Bridge in New York City, The Golden Gate Bridge in San
Francisco and Sydney Harbour Bridge in Sydney Australia collapse or Big Ben in London finally topples.
Landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, The Statue of Liberty, Tower Bridge, and the Eye in London will likely last longer.
Incredibly some foods will also still be edible by this point these include freeze-dried goods, canned food and fruitcake.
that are still good to eat for over a hundred years, if not damaged by moisture and humidity.
They would of course be some modern man-made structures that would stand the test of time.
These would include underground structions like the Channel Tunnel and anything constructed of stone
Also lurking for many years at the bottom of the oceans would be the world's nuclear submarines still intact
encasing their deadly nuclear warheads
The animal population would thrive
There's no denying we humans do a lot of good, but one thing's for sure we cause a lot of destruction regarding the animal population
so it's no surprise that long after the initial fallout the animal kingdom would thrive without us
a classic modern-day example of where animals flourish where humans are not around is Chernobyl.
A place that was evacuated by humans after the nuclear accident in 1986
But a place where nature now thrives without the intervention of humans
The now unpopulated area is teeming with herbivores and predators rarely seen in the area before the disaster
These include the rare European Brown Bear and European Lynx species as have not been seen in the region for nearly a century.
In addition to these an endangered breed of wild horse
Bison and wolves have been introduced to the area and have also prospered
Thus not to say the radiation levels are good for the animals just that how well they have adapted without human intervention
So we know which animals would die as discussed previously
But if humans were wiped off the planet tomorrow, which animals in particular would benefit the most?
Well any species for whom we are their only predator. These would include elephants, larger whales
gorillas, bears, and rhinos.
Basically all of the creatures that are endangered now because of humans
Also wild species that we hunt for food or who get caught up in our hunt for food
These would be things like fish, dolphins, and sharks.
In addition to these, all creatures we purposely destroy or consider pests such as rats, mice,
Foxes, badgers, and insects. As well as any species previously wiped out by buildings, vehicles,
pollutions or industry.
Over time earth would be completely unrecognizable
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In just a thousand years almost all traces of humans, their culture, and modern civilization will be buried beneath
vegetation, sand, and water.
Nature will be in charge at this point and the swamps that once covered large parts of the world will reappear.
In just 10,000 short years it will be like we never existed. The only evidence of our existence
will be the likes of the Pyramids in Egypt, The Great Wall of China, and
stone carvings like Mount Rushmore and the Maui at Easter Island
If these haven't been covered over some bronze sculptures may also still be recognizable
However, buried are the layers of debris various human artifacts made of plastics will still survive.
As will any gold reserve vaults, that although will be flooded, will preserve gold inside them for millions of years.
The many buried corpses that are now likely lying deep in watery graves and sediment will fossilize and be protected.
and one day just as we have with the dinosaurs
Will be dug up and be part of the history of the next intelligent beings to settle on Earth.
Life on Earth will be thriving just in a different form
As the planet we are now destroying with pollution returns to its pre human clarity in nature and animals ultimately take over
So that's five things that could happen if humans one day were wiped from the face of the Earth.
Thankfully though I do not think it will ever happen, at least not anytime soon.
But what do you think is the end of humanity something you can visualize in the future?
Thanks for watching and as always I'll see you in the next video.