Aftermath: Life After People: Day 1 to Day 7
March 3, 2008
Imagine if the human race vanished from existence. What would happen to all we left behind? What would happen to our pets? What would happen to homes that we left standing? What about our electric and nuclear plants - would they keep churning out energy?
Many questions, and few definite answers, but scientists are beginning to explain and explore what would happen if the human race suddenly did not exist. Below are just a number of effects that the earth would experience in the first week of non-human existence.
Without electric fencing to keep them in place, some zoo animals begin to escape their cages. The streets are becoming overrun with animals that are unaccustomed to their new surroundings.
In the United States alone, over 245 million pets (including 88 million cats and 75 million dogs) aren’t being fed. These hungry animals are now either foraging in their homes or trying to break out to find other sources of food. Millions of cockroaches will die during the first winter without indoor heating to keep them warm. Squirrels, skunks, and other animals find new dens in newly vacant human homes.
Without people to maintain the system, power grids fail as rolling blackout spread across the United States. Coal-burning power plants go offline as coal deliveries cease. In hydro-electric plants, turbines flood without humans to maintain water levels. Highly automated nuclear power plants detect power-grid failures and automatically shut down their reactors.
The chlorine that oil refineries use to create gasoline is no longer being kept cold. Pressure release valves begin to discharge chlorine, endangering any animals that keep their noses close to the ground. Liquefied natural gas from natural gas depots also starts to escape through vents. What isn’t burned by flares will ignite large explosions causing many chemical plants catch fire.
The bright lights from cities had interfered with birds’ natural navigational instincts. With the electricity off, these birds fly safely over urban areas.
For more about Sunday's premiere click over to NGCAftermath.com
Comments (13)
To have everyone vanish instantly is the rapture. Are you going theorize on that too?
Posted by Bender | March 9, 2008 8:17 PM
Not too long ago there was a show (on The History Channel or Discovery Channel?) dedicated to the theories of how humans will become extinct. Most of the theories had to do with natural reasons, such as a new virus or the death of the sun. The last few reasons had to do with our own destruction, such as a nuclear war. It was a great show.
Posted by John | March 9, 2008 10:44 PM
The premise of the show-instantaneous disappearance (with no bodies or even clothes left) of all humans (but no animals) is so absurd that I watched for a while to see how it would spin out. But I quickly reached the limit of my time-wasting capacity. I'm pretty sure I heard the grim-voiced narrator say that burning one gallon of gasoline releases 19 pounds of CO2 into the atmosphere. That's really fantastic, because a gallon of gas weighs only around eight pounds! If NGC has discovered such a major exception to the laws of physics, it must have some more constructive application.
Posted by Ned | March 10, 2008 8:01 AM
OK. I just fact-checked. I read at fueleconomy.gov that the oxygen that combines with the carbon is what makes the CO2 so much heavier than the gasoline. That should have been explained, since the show is supposedly based on science. Indeed, this fact is worth a show in itself.
Posted by Ned | March 10, 2008 8:17 AM
I loved the way that there were no major fires in major cities, that there seemed to be no major issues with all the oil fields (what - no major oil spills), and that all that released radioactivity that you made such a big deal about was quickly forgotten seemed to have no impact on anything. And in an ocean as big as we have you really think that a few sunken ships would make a significant impact on fish populations? Must say that this was not a particularly revealing show and seemed more targeted to some peoples' preferred catastrophes than really looking at what could happen.
Posted by Warren | March 10, 2008 8:40 AM
wow this is deep i think many of the animals would die because of brading so they would be more meek then other pets and would die.
Posted by linzey | March 10, 2008 9:39 AM
You people are crazy , don't you believe in God?
He is the only one that could and will diminish the existence of all living creatures the day he comes.May you be content knowing you are a child of God.
Amen
Posted by Janet | March 10, 2008 10:42 AM
Even with the Rapture, the very Book that predicts the event clearly shows only a percentage of the populace will be removed from the planet. Any other Non beleivers will be left to their own devices for yet another series of troubling times. The only conceivable period of "AH" will have to be beyond that time and dare I surmise the planet will be f'ed by that time, due to the wars of men. There is NO WAY if we (Americans) are engaged in war on the homefront that the Statue of Liberty will be left intact, I call that a high value target for any invaders.
Posted by DB Panic | March 10, 2008 11:23 AM
Not very realistic. If people vanished suddenly, there would be fires that no one would be able to put out. A large portion of most cities would be wiped out by out-of-control fires. Naturally-caused fires would rage on unchecked. You didn't show fires.
Your excess of zeal should have been tempered by reason.
Posted by antonio badaluccio | March 10, 2008 1:28 PM
BAD PEOPLE!
GOOD DOGS
That is what I got out of it, it would be so nice for our (big) dogs if we would just go away.
What a guilt trip this was...
Posted by SG | March 11, 2008 3:29 PM
Folks, its just a TV show. I thought it was really interesting to see what would happen, theoretically, to our structures if people were to vanish from the earth. I don't think the show actually suggested that this would happen. For me - it satiated my curiosity regarding how long the degradation of a city would take. I found it fascinating, whether its going to happen or not. And - I hope it never happens!
Posted by amy | March 25, 2008 4:14 PM
Wow, this really seemed more like fearmongering than an actual show.
Posted by Gorda | April 28, 2008 8:46 PM
well if humans die it will be on our fult not the gods or the animals we put this on ourselves but this is our last chance to cange it like driving a hybrid instead of a gasoline car by the way im only 14 and i know this stuff
Posted by the green man | May 7, 2008 5:47 PM