The first part of the article „Dead Cities“, where the author discusses all the novelists, who have imagined the destruction of cities, reminded me of a documentary that I saw a couple of years ago. This documentary dealt exactly with what is described in these books: what happens to our cities in 50, in 100, in 500, in 1000 …etc. years, after humans have suddenly become extinct? It showed how nature slowly returned to the cities and took over. After 50 years there wasn’t too much damage to the building (humans had died of some kind of disease, so all the buildings and infrastructure were intact), but when time went on the wildlife took over and slowly the buildings turned into ruins. What surprised me back then, was that they showed that skyscrapers would be the first buildings to go (cause they’re largely made out of glass) and that the brick buildings would stand the longest. In the last sequence one could hardly see that there had been a city at all, all that was left were a few brick ruins.
So whether we humans survive or not, life continues even without us. To quote a famous movie scientist: “Life finds a way.”
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Are you talking about the book "The World Without Us" or something like that? I firmly believe (as I also learned in an Earth Sciences class) that after natural disasters, even after all the polution,and after humans are just a part of history, eventually the Earth will reset itself and start new again. Probably after the next ice age. Which movie scientist are you talking about?
ReplyDeleteI watched "Life After People" it reminds me of what you watched. It can seem quite interesting to think about what would happen if no people were left and if the wilderness took over. I never thought about it before that class but it is so true, life will continue on without us! That is actually kind of sad, knowing that life would go on without humans... perhaps that is my being vain for mankind though :P. I love the quote by the way, it was a good way to end your entry.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Emmy about the quote. Good stuff :)
ReplyDeleteWhile i was reading the first part of Dead Cities, as well as your post, my brain was playing a mini movie in my head HAHA...one of a very odd mix of I Am Legend, The Time Machine, and The Day After Tomorrow (in which Canada was the first to be hit hard by Mother Nature LOL). So according to your post, I guess bricks will outlive us all :( that's sad haha.
It's some really freaky stuff to think about when we were imagining the end of the world in class. It's a bit ironic to me that we're afraid of the idea that nature will someday take over 'civilization', when we as human beings are technically a part of it; our ancestors have lived so intimately with nature for billions of years, relying on it for survival, and at the same time, fighting against it for survival, too. But it seems that every generation that comes into existence becomes increasingly detached from nature, from our origins. It seems that while we coexist with nature, we become more and more unfamiliar with it, and because nature is so alien to us, the idea of being surrounded by it, of returning to its embrace, makes a good movie. (except I Am Legend....) :P