00:00What would the world be like if every human suddenly disappeared?
00:07Well, Carlton Basmajian, professor and researcher of urban sprawl, writes for The Conversation,
00:11if that happened, the first thing you would notice would likely be the quietude.
00:15We are undoubtedly used to it, but roads are extremely loud, as are planes that fly in
00:20the sky over our heads.
00:21After a while, once you've gotten used to the silence, you might start to notice the
00:24cleaner air, as all of humankind's polluting power plants and vehicles have stopped operating.
00:29However, a big part of a world without people would include lots more bugs.
00:33That's because humans are tenacious in their pest control, removing insect habitats, spraying
00:37for them, you name it, and there would be more life in general, including new trees
00:41sprouted from seeds that fall where they may, with no people to keep grounds curated.
00:46And creatures like mice, raccoons, and other small mammals would start coming out of the
00:49woodwork to take over new habitats once cordoned off for people.
00:52Eventually, after around a decade, according to Basmajian, roads, bridges, and other massive
00:56man-made infrastructure would crumble and fall to pieces, a notion which reveals that
01:00our way of life isn't entirely natural, and to continue on in the way we do, requires
01:05constant upkeep.
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