Tonight (1-21 at 8:00) on the History Channel. I read the book this show is based on, a very interesting read. The premise is all humans just disappear, no supernatural or religious overtones, we just go away. The discussion then turns to what happens with everything we've left behind. The buildings, our pets, domesticated animals, our machinery, pollution, and out-of-place animals. Also, what would happen with our still-running and highly automated power plants, refineries and such. The book was a very interesting, if somewhat slow at times, read. The show looks to be possibly very good and interesting. The Link
Puddle, Yeah, that's the book. And I forgot about the game. I guess I'll have to record the show for later. Although I'm sure History will reshow it about 87,000,000 times....
Pretty cool show. Interesting to see that it would take only a thousand years to completely hide any indication that humans ever existed. Really shows how insignificant we are in the big picture.
1,000 years? I thought plastic bottles and styrofoam containers took something like 50,000 years to disintegrate. Aluminum cans. Don't we have Roman Ruins that are older than 1,000 years? Stonehenge? I'm pretty sure traces of OU sucking will be evident in 1,000 years.
Hornius, good question. I don;t really know. I took it as vegetation and decay would overrun our cities and buildings. I'm sure if digging occurred, you could find aluminum cans and plastic bottles. even remnants of buildings. But on the surface, there would be no sign that humans were there.
From a theological standpoint, there are right and wrong, often by fiat. From a purely objective, secular standpoint, though: 1. Is it really wrong to pollute the earth? It is certainly consequential, as our future life and ability to propagate our genes through future generations suffer. But is it wrong? 2. Would it be bad if man were extinct? We will all die anyway, so it is really a question of whether future humans keep turning up. If we pollute and despoil the earth, is our presence on it inherently desireable, or even not regretable? 3. Does it matter if organisms now alive, species now extant, or even all life on earth dies out? If it evolved here by accident in what by modern standards was a very nasty atmosphere, why lament the loss? It was an accident and might repeat anyway, maybe even better.
Really cool and interesting show. Just amazing how nature refuses to quit -- vegetation overtaking everything, animals adapting, etc. Life goes on without us, that's for sure. And I too was amazed at how little evidence there would be, in just 1000 years, that we were ever around. And how ironic that what evidence will be left will not come from our technological advancements, but from that which we consider to be ancient today -- the pyramids, the Sphinx, Roman ruins, etc.
I we need to get our ego's in check. It also said that if the history of the world were condensed to 24 hrs., man's time would so far be 30 seconds. I just watched the end again, and it says 10,000 years would erase all signs. That sounds more correct. Although it says the Hoover Dam will be one of the last standing. But not far behind would be the Great Wall and Pyramids.
I am watching it now (recorded it.) Mild spoilers if you haven't watched it yet... Very interesting. But it shouldn't have taken 15 minutes to explain that the power would go out in the beginning. Got it. Move one. I also found it interesting they covered dogs but not cats. I would guess cats would flourish and thrive as the rats and mice do. Then they'd fade with them. I am on Chernobyl now. Don't ruin it for me. I am hoping Dr. Neville finds a cure at the end! Red Raider scientist representing! In cammo pants.
Cats are covered. They're living it up in skyscrapers, feasting on rats & mice and maybe even evolving into flying cats (a la flying squirels).
You're right. I meant to say 10,000 (not 1,000). And they do mention the Great Wall of China still standing, and remnants of Hoover Dam. But the point is, you'd have to look hard to know we were here.
Well, I think we all can agree that OU's suckage will CERTAINLY be discernible for the next several million years.
Note that we have excavated cities because they have been relatively preserved by sediment. Speaking in geologic time, 10,000 years is nothing. We would still likely have some bones preserved, ect, and most certainly structures. They may require some digging, but I doubt that 10k years is enough to erase and completely bury or weather all of man's structures.
I had seen this advertised while I was waiting for a movie to start one day. Set my DVR to record it, but ended up switching DVRs during that time period and forgot to set the new one. Anyone know if it will re-air at some point?
There was a guy who noted that one of man's last discernable things would probably by Mt. Rushmore, soley b/c its formed out of pure rock and is in a seismically stable area. It would likely show some weathering in 10,000 years, but it would definitly still be recognizable and still there. While the danger of corrosion is real for many steel structures, the other metal that is used for considerable structural applications is aluminum which doesn't rust. While our cars would quickly dissapear, mabe the airplanes (or what was left of them) would still be hanging around simply b/c of the material they are made of. On another note, 10,000 years is just about the longest period of time for which mankind can "design" for. Beyond that, there are just too many other factors that have to be considered (possible future earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, even tectonic plate shifiting, etc.) all of which are basically unforseen and can only limitedly be accounted and mitgated for. To my knowledge, the only such project current even approaching that sort of timeline is the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository. That location has been specifically picked b/c, as of right now, there is little mosture in the region, minimal seismic activity, no danger of a hurricane, etc. and other factors which can be considered relativily "safe" in the short term (short compared to the half-lives of radioactivitly which reach into the millions of years). Still, part of the reason that particular project is taking so incredibly long is b/c of these factors (the other reasons are political). Literally ever sort of investigation into site conditions, environmntal factors and conditions, etc. is being undertaken to make as sure as possible that the site will be safe for soemthing approaching 10,000 years. And that's just a drop in the geological time bucket compared to how long that waste will be dangerous (or Earth's lifetime for that matter).
I saw it last night on DVR. The one place I wanted to hear them speculate about is NORAD in Cheyenne Mtn. I would think that place would be around until the Rockies erode away. It would seem those tunnel blast doors would stand up to time as well as anything else man made. Maybe that's where we should keep "proof" of our existence.
