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Join us as we uncover the complexities behind these urban transformations and discuss potential solutions for a more balanced and resilient future.
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00:01According to the United Nations, India became the most populous country in the world in 2023.
00:08Can you guess where the United States of America stands in that rating?
00:11It's number three.
00:13And America is the fourth-largest country in terms of size.
00:17It takes up some 6% of Earth's landmass.
00:20Plenty of space for 335 million people who live there, right?
00:26No need to squeeze them into one region.
00:29Well, not quite.
00:30The population of the U.S. is distributed pretty unevenly.
00:35Let's draw a line right through the middle of the country.
00:38It'll run from North Dakota in the north to Texas in the south.
00:43Once you input census data and do some math, astounding figures appear.
00:4880% of the U.S. population lives east of the imaginary line.
00:52The remaining 20% live to the west.
00:55That's just one in five Americans.
00:58We're talking about large metropolitan areas, such as Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco.
01:06You don't believe me?
01:07Just look at a satellite map of the U.S. at night.
01:10The right part is shining pretty bright, right?
01:13But why?
01:14Why is there such a huge imbalance in population?
01:18Simply put, history and geography.
01:21The East Coast is the place where the U.S. became independent in 1776.
01:28These are the original 13 colonies.
01:30Soon enough, settlers started spreading westward.
01:34One important milestone was the Louisiana Purchase.
01:36Today, this region is mostly what we call the Midwest.
01:40The area aligns nicely with the Mississippi watershed.
01:44Yep, this means plenty of fertile soil ideal for agriculture.
01:48But does this automatically mean a spike in population?
01:53The demographics of the U.S. reveal that a majority of its citizens live either on the east or the
01:59west coast.
02:00This leaves a large patch of land in the middle of the country, virtually empty.
02:05People know it as America's underpopulated belt.
02:09The area stretches from the Canadian border in the north to Mexico in the south.
02:14The total surface area of this strip of land is 350,000 square miles.
02:20That's twice the size of California.
02:23One massive piece of land.
02:25In fact, this narrow strip accounts for 12% of the contiguous United States.
02:30That's the U.S. without Alaska and Hawaii.
02:33The belt runs north to south through seven states.
02:36But its population makes up only 1% of the total number of people living in the United States.
02:43Now, this doesn't mean that the area is completely empty.
02:46It's still home to just over 3 million people.
02:49That's roughly the population of the island country of Jamaica.
02:52But there is room here for many more residents.
02:57Let's take the example of Nigeria.
02:59Its total land area is slightly bigger than the sparsely inhabited belt in America.
03:05But Nigeria's population is a huge 206 million people.
03:10This makes it the 7th most populated country on the planet.
03:13Impressive, right?
03:15But why isn't the American Midwest living up to its potential?
03:20Well, time for one last history lesson.
03:22I've already mentioned how the United States expanded from the East Coast to the West Coast.
03:27This doesn't mean that the West was lagging too far behind.
03:30Take, for example, the cities of San Francisco and Los Angeles.
03:34They were incorporated in 1850.
03:37That's just 13 years after Chicago.
03:40The following year, Portland, Oregon became incorporated.
03:43You get the picture.
03:44And then, in 1869, the United States completed building its first transcontinental railroad.
03:51In terms of transport, the country was unified.
03:54There is no historical reason strong enough to explain why so few people live in the center of the country.
04:02So now it's time for some interesting geography.
04:05If you look at the physical map of the United States, you'll notice that this belt lies in the Great
04:10Plains.
04:11As the name suggests, the area is flat, which should be ideal for large settlements.
04:16Well, not really.
04:19East of this region, there is a huge patch of the color brown.
04:22It's covered by mountains.
04:24But not just any mountains.
04:26These are the Rockies.
04:27The range is around 76 million years old.
04:30It has several peaks over 14,000 feet.
04:33And most of the Rockies are national parks, a vast nature reserve.
04:37But, most importantly, the range plays a vital role in the region's climate.
04:44Ever heard of the rain shadow effect?
04:46Let me explain.
04:47Wet weather systems form over the Pacific Ocean.
04:50Then, they travel east, where they meet the Rockies.
04:53Now, the air has to go up over the mountains.
04:56This is where it cools down and condenses.
04:58The final result?
05:00A lot of rain and snow for the people living on or west of the range.
05:05And just a few drops east of it.
05:08When air from the Pacific finally reaches the Great Plains, it doesn't contain much moisture anymore.
05:14In fact, the weather system starts taking up moisture from the surrounding landscape.
05:19This creates an arid climate east of the Rocky Mountains.
05:23That's the exact location of the belt where so few Americans live.
05:27It's one of the driest parts of the country.
05:30So, when settlers came in the 19th century, they were like, nah, I'll just continue west.
05:36Plus, there was the gold rush in California they were heading for.
05:40The climate in this part of the plains isn't great for agriculture.
05:44And huge fluctuations in air temperature don't help either.
05:47In a single day, temperatures can drop from 70 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit.
05:52These sudden changes in outside temperature are harmful to human health.
05:56But it's like stepping inside an air-conditioned room on a sizzling summer day.
06:01Not a pleasant feeling.
06:03Southern California has a similarly dry climate.
06:06Yet, close to 40 million people live there.
06:08This makes California the most populous U.S. state.
06:12Their secret?
06:12A vast network of irrigation canals and aqueducts.
06:16Plus, a share of water from the Colorado River.
06:20Summers in the Great Plains get very hot.
06:23While winters are extremely cold.
06:24The reason behind these wild weather patterns are polar winds.
06:29They get a piggyback ride along the ridges of the Rockies and then rapidly descend into the plains.
06:35A winter day in Wyoming, for example, can start pleasantly warm.
06:40But later in the afternoon, the temperature can easily drop below zero.
06:44You just wouldn't know how to dress.
06:46And you probably wouldn't want to relocate here.
06:49That's what 99% of Americans think, too.
06:54Humans like to feel comfortable.
06:56So we choose to live in temperate climate zones.
06:58Places that are either too cold or too hot don't have a large population.
07:04Just look at the driest inhabited continent.
07:07You've guessed it correctly.
07:08It's Australia.
07:10Nearly 70% of the country is either arid or semi-arid.
07:15That's a subtle way of saying that it's a desert.
07:18That's why Australians are huddled in coastal areas.
07:2190% of them live in big cities, such as Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth.
07:27The only exception is the capital, Canberra.
07:30They build it inland, close to a water source.
07:33But Australia's interior is sparsely populated.
07:36Just like in the States.
07:38There is only one major town in an area the size of 12 Lake Michigans.
07:43A huge shout-out to the residents of Alice Springs.
07:47They truly live in an oasis.
07:48And what about places with a temperate climate, like Europe?
07:52The population is evenly distributed here, right?
07:56Well, yes and no, depending on the country.
07:59In Germany, 77% of people live in urban areas.
08:04They have plenty of major cities to choose from.
08:06Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, and Kuhn all have over a million residents.
08:12But let's look at neighboring France.
08:14How many cities with a population over a million can you name?
08:18Okay, Paris, definitely.
08:21It has over 12 million residents in the metropolitan area.
08:25But now comes the staggering fact.
08:27The next two cities on the list have a population of barely 2 million, respectively.
08:33Can you notice the huge imbalance?
08:36This is the case in most large European countries.
08:40In Greece, for example, 35% of the population lives in the capital, Athens.
08:45So, the largely underpopulated center of the United States is not a unique example.
08:52America is the land of opportunities.
08:54But chances of finding a better life are greater in large cities.
08:58The country's top 100 metropolitan areas account for at least three-quarters of the nation's GDP.
09:05And most of them are located on the East and the West Coast.
09:08There are no cities with over a million residents in America's underpopulated belt.
09:16Is the Big Apple getting a little too heavy for its own good?
09:20A recent study revealed that New York City is sinking.
09:24And get this.
09:26It's all because of those towering skyscrapers.
09:29Apparently, the whole event is called subsidence, which is when the Earth's surface settles bit by bit, or suddenly sinks.
09:39Soft sediments shifting and the weight of the city itself are the culprits behind this sinking sensation.
09:48Now, don't get too alarmed.
09:50The study found that New York is sinking at a rate of 0.04 to 0.07 inches per year.
09:58Sure, that doesn't sound like much.
10:00But there are parts of the city that are sinking even faster than that.
10:04This sinking situation could cause some trouble for the city.
10:09Especially since it's already pretty low-lying and home to over 8 million people.
10:14So, it's important that local authorities come up with some strategies to tackle the growing flood risk and rising sea
10:21levels.
10:22Although, I'm not sure building giant seawalls is the way to go.
10:27We might need to get a little more creative than that.
10:31Geologists want to make sure we're all aware that building more high-rises near the coast, rivers, or lakes could
10:38contribute to future flood risks.
10:40So, we really need to think twice before we start constructing skyscrapers left and right.
10:47In recent studies, scientists calculated the total mass of all the buildings in New York City.
10:53Over 1 million of them.
10:55And it adds up to a whopping 1.68 trillion pounds.
11:00Talk about a heavy load.
11:02Now, they didn't include the weight of the roads, sidewalks, bridges, and other paved areas.
11:08So, you can only imagine how much more weight is added to the city.
11:12But, hey, even with these limitations, the researchers did a pretty good job of accounting for the complex geology beneath
11:20New York.
11:21Including the sand, silt, clay deposits, and good old bedrock.
11:27They found out that certain types of soil, like clay and artificial fill, are more prone to subsidence.
11:35On the other hand, bedrock stays pretty firm and keeps those skyscrapers in place.
11:41So, at least we don't have to worry about the Empire State Building taking a dive anytime soon.
11:47Comparing their fancy models with satellite data, the researchers created a map of the city showing where the sinking is
11:54happening.
11:54And guess what?
11:56The increased urbanization and all that groundwater pumping and draining are only making things worse.
12:03It's high time we start protecting our resources, don't you think?
12:08I wouldn't start packing my bags just yet.
12:12New York isn't the only sinking city out there, you know.
12:16Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, is facing some serious sinking action, too.
12:21In fact, parts of it could be underwater by 2050.
12:26That's like a real-life Atlantis situation.
12:29Over 30 million people in Jakarta are now deciding if they should relocate the entire city.
12:38If there's a city out there we should worry about sinking, that's Venice for sure.
12:44But why is it so eager to take a dive, you might ask?
12:48Well, let me tell you the complex truth.
12:50You see, Venice decided to set up shop on a marshy lagoon with shoddy foundations.
12:57As time went by, the ground underneath just couldn't hold it together.
13:02And started compacting like a squished marshmallow.
13:05On top of that, the city's been slurping up groundwater like it's going out of style or something.
13:12The cherry on top of this mushy cake is that the sea levels have also been slowly rising.
13:18And guess what?
13:20Those sneaky plate tectonics are having a laugh!
13:23By shoving the Adriatic plate under the Apennine Mountains, giving Venice an extra push downward.
13:32Someone had the bright idea to stop pumping groundwater, thinking they could stop the sinking shenanigans.
13:39But hold your gondolas!
13:40A new study revealed that the sinking hasn't completely stopped, just slowed down a bit.
13:46It turns out the whole area is tilting ever so slightly to the east, with Venice perched on the slightly
13:53higher end.
13:55You must be wondering how much Venice sinks in a year, right?
14:00Brace yourself for this shocking revelation!
14:02It's sinking at a rate of about 0.04 to 0.07 inches a year.
14:08Similar to New York.
14:10At this pace, in the next 20 years, it could sink a whopping 3 inches below sea level.
14:17To avoid turning into a Venetian fishbowl, locals are frantically building special barriers to keep the water from crashing into
14:25the lagoon.
14:27But don't hold your breath, because this project has had more delays than you'd expect.
14:33Oh, and have you noticed that charming, old-style vibe in Venice?
14:38It's not just because they're fans of the vintage look.
14:41Those salty waters have been wreaking havoc on the buildings, thanks to the water levels constantly breaching the original damp
14:48-proofing.
14:49Now, the water's cozying up to the masonry, and the ground floors of many apartments are no longer safe enough
14:56to live in.
14:59Now, when will Venice take a dive into the abyss?
15:03It's hard to say for sure.
15:05Subsidants and rising sea levels are as slow and unpredictable as a turtle in a marathon.
15:12But experts have playfully warned that if things continue as they are,
15:16Venice could be doing the backstroke beneath the waves by 2100.
15:21Fear not, though.
15:23They're doing their best to protect this floating gem of history and culture from becoming a Hollywood disaster flick.
15:29So don't cancel that Venice day trip just yet.
15:35New Orleans has a peculiar, watery situation going on, too.
15:39You see, this lively place was initially built just a smidge above sea level, and now it's gradually sinking.
15:48Back in the day, when an area of the city called the French Quarter was just popping up, folks had
15:54to make do with what they had.
15:56They scored the best land they could find, but it was only about 10 feet above sea level.
16:02And let's not forget, the rest of the city is as flat as a pancake, with the areas around the
16:08French Quarter being just a hair lower.
16:11Now, even though they knew they were up against some soggy odds,
16:16the resourceful New Orleans residents did their best to elevate their houses above the flood-prone land they chose as
16:23their home.
16:23There's more.
16:25The ground beneath New Orleans is as wobbly as a plate of jello.
16:29Architects had to keep things short and sweet, because they feared the soil couldn't handle the weight of taller structures.
16:36They played it safe, sticking to two or two and a half stories.
16:42Here's where it gets interesting.
16:44The city installed a fancy drainage system in the 1900s, thinking it would solve their water woes.
16:51And while it did help with the marshes and all, it inadvertently sucked the life out of the soil.
16:57Yep, the ground was left high and dry, without enough sediment and water to keep it steady.
17:03As a result, those former marshes sank as if they were in a quicksand competition.
17:10By the 1930s, things got even more topsy-turvy.
17:14One-third of the city was below sea level.
17:17And by the time Hurricane Katrina made its grand entrance, that number skyrocketed to around 50%.
17:24Oh, and here's the icing on the cake.
17:28Sea levels decided to join the party, rising faster than a helium balloon.
17:32So now, not only is New Orleans sinking, but the surrounding area is also at various degrees below sea level.
17:42So, what can we do about all these sinking cities?
17:45Well, for instance, we could manage our water consumption a bit better.
17:51We can't just keep sucking groundwater out of the earth like there's no tomorrow.
17:55We've got to find new ways to quench our urban center's thirst.
18:00Think about it.
18:01We could purify surface waters, or even turn salty seawater into a sweet solution.
18:07Of course, we'll need a boatload of energy to make it all work.
18:11Speaking of great urban water management, let me tell you about a town in Denmark called Nye.
18:18These guys have got it all figured out.
18:20They collect rainwater and use it to supply their toilets and washing machines.
18:25Talk about resourcefulness.
18:27Now, that's what I call a splash of genius.
18:30Make it aankenheart, give off of your means.
18:30I'm sure you follow along the spot.
18:30You are freaking you go asleep.
18:30You are getting backers!
18:30You are up here!
18:32Tip Us Mess beat up the sky.
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