Aftermath: Life After People: Day 1 to Day 7
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
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20 Comments
To have everyone vanish instantly is the rapture. Are you going theorize on that too?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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...
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!
Wow, this really seemed more like fearmongering than an actual show.
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
This is not about Human extinction or about arguing religious views. This documentary is about what will happen to our cities, in general our world as we know it to be. Off coarse the film will mention fires, but there are many events that can happen without our presence. The fires would be very frequent in many cities. Lightning causing these fires to occur, or by other causes. about 90% of American homes are built using wood frames...so many homes would be wiped out in a few months, but in more wet locations, like the maritime regions, homes would be attacked by mold, fungus, bacteria etc. We can come up with a very realistic end of our cities and towns, but it may happen very differently. But there are things we know for certain of what will disappear and what will last. Whoever is looking at the movie in a religious point of view cant appreciate the artistic input. I believe in the rapture, but it is still wonderful to see that even if God were not to exist, our demise will come around sooner or later. My point though is to give it a chance, and research. There are many other films about this issue. Like Life After Human, World without Us and many more.
The far left and the far right. Yawn. Both sides try to control others. The far right? Original sin. You have to believe what they believe.
The far left. Humans are the cause of all misery and suffering. You have to parrot what the community says.
It's the same. The far right wants to control me. The far left wants to control me. Fanatics all around.
A channel/show/movement designed to make me feel guilty about being alive.
News flash. I'm not feeling guilty.
Here's why I think shows like this have an appeal for some.
Even though there's not supposed to be any humans left, people watching imagine that they and maybe a few others are left. And we think about what it would be like to survive. Could I get my hands on a cool sports car and drive around wherever I wanted? Live in a mansion, etc.
It's not about why people go extinct or the process of our extinction. The show says that in the begining. It's just like studying the ruins of ancient civilizations and getting to imagine that the entire human race is wiped of the face of the earth as a side note. That's just an added bonus to this show. It's not really part of the story. So you don't have to wonder why there is not a single other species missing from Earth when we disappear. You just have to assume that we are next to go and throw all you environmental studies out the window. Until we're gone. Then bring them back in the window. Will they be called "windows" when we are gone? Then watch as the Earth slowly "recovers" from our tyranny. Because everyone knows that in the Earth vs. People battle we are really kicking the Earth butt. But some day, using a ... gas ... explosion or something the Earth will have it's revenge! No more being down-trodden by those arrogant Humans. The Earth hates us because we use it's parts in ways that they were not originally designed for. And because it knows we have been looking at other planets.
Maybe you could do a show in which the Rapture truly would occur. Then those of us Left Behind would find that we could get along just fine without all the religoids who seem to try to hard to make life on Earth unbearable.
Why does everything always have to be about god?!
This show depicts what we've done to the world over the last 10,000 years and the prediction of how it would heal itself after all of the damage we've done. I thought the digital effects alone were worth watching. Times Square a forest?! Tigers roaming through suburbia?! How cool!
Obviously we're not all going to just "vanish". It's designed to make you think twice about paper or plastic (or neither!). Do we really need to keep getting a new cell phone every year? Should we have destroyed all of that beautiful marshland? Do we need to print all of those e-mails we get? Maybe we can enjoy earth's beauty instead of covering every inch with strip malls.
It's not a matter of "left" or "right". It's a matter of taking care of our world, our home, so there's something left for our future generations.
Think folks. Think.
The Gospel according to God...
After Jesus comes back to get those that are living by faith in Him, the earth is left desolate for 1000 years. The earth will again be without form and void, same as in Gen. 1:2. It will be Satan’s prison. He will have no one to tempt. (This is how he is bound) No one but Satan and his demons are left on planet Earth for 1000 years. After the 1000 years the unrighteous dead are raised once more to be deceived by Satan for a short season and finally to be destroyed by the second death.
Jesus went to the cross and died and paid the price for the second death for all those who are living by faith in Him. Anyone can repent and be saved, why not you!!! Ref. Rev. 20:2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14
Read John 3:16 & Romans 5
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