Places and times without people,
real and imagined
The World
Without Usby Alan Weisman 2007.
Site provides images of human habitat reclaimed by the natural world over
time, map of places described in the book, and podcasts of intervews with the
author. Based on best selling non-fiction book which eloquently describes
what would happen if all humans suddenly disappeared.
“Aftermath: Population Zero” Hour and a half video.
Like The World Without Us, Aftermath explores the planet after all humans instantly disappear.
“Life After People”
The History Channel presents short videos of various scenarios of human
extinction, some of which tragically eliminate almost all life as well.
“Take a stunningly graphic journey to a world wiped clean of humanity,”
but not wiped clean of our trash.
The full series is available on DVD, and nine short videos may be seen on YouTube:
Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven, Part Eight, Part Nine.
“Earth
Without People”
“What would happen to our planet if the mighty hand of humanity simply
disappeared?”
by Alan Weisman in Discover Magazine. February 6, 2005. Expanded into a
non-fiction book—see above.
“Barbed
Wire and Biodiversity” Patrick Burns briefly describes five locations
abandoned by humans where biodiversity flourishes. Reforestation
in the Americas following decimation of humanity. Tragic epidemics
following European introduction of deadly diseases to peoples of the Western
Hemisphere allowed forests to restore themselves, reducing carbon dioxide in
the atmosphere and possibly cooling the entire planet. Although not a human free time, human impact dropped dramatically.
“Post-human
Earth” Another Bob Holmes article in New Scientist September 30, 2009.
Long-term biosphere recovery after humans, projections based on previous mass
extinction events.
