We’ve all had those fantasies about being the last man alive (haven’t we?). Here Alan Weisman imagines what would happen to the Earth if humanity disappeared overnight. Houses and even entire cities become swamped by vegetation, erosion, floods and fire. Domestic animals succumb to more voracious wildlife and unmanned nuclear reactors descend to the Earth’s core. He relates how places such as Chernobyl and the Korean demitilitarised zone exist without Man’s presence.
This is not merely a work of fantasy as the author subtly uses the future to talk about how we’re mismanaging the present. The introduction of alien species, the creation of chemicals, the mining of minerals and the depletion of the ozone layer mean that even without us, life on Earth will face challenges. However, one thing is certain: life can exist without this terrible creature who has done so much to destroy his environment.
