Traces of Civilisation

[WeAreBongo]

Thinking types, I have a question. While trying to sleep last night I was pondering how long it would take for all traces of humanity to disappear from the planet if mankind were to be rendered extinct?

[KevSparky]

Well, I suppose it would take a cataclysmic asteroid impact or the Sun going supernova to do serious damage to our legacy. I mean, technology in space and in orbit won't erode or degrade like buildings and technology on the surface. To be honest, I don't think you could ever truly erase our impact on the planet. There'll always be some trace...

[jno]

there was a telly programem recently abotu how long it would take skyscrapers etc to be covered in grass if people vanished. It was on about a month ago but unfortunately I missed it. But after all we are still digging up bones of people who died thousands of years ago, I imagine this would continue if there were any alien archaeologists around to do it.

[terambulan]

U only have to look at that erupting volcano in Hawaii to see how quickly humanity is burned out!

T'was on tv last week.......am too lazy to search URLs

[fo3nix]

Not very long at all. Few hundred years given natural erosion. Obviously this may be increased or decreased with events unknown.

[ll_billym]

Hundreds of thousands of years.

The last physical things to go would be plastics, alloyed metal objects such as stainless steel pans and large monuments like Mount Rushmore and the Pyramids however the damage to nature caused by, toxic chemicals and radiation will be here forever.

I've just read a really good book on just this subject:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1905264038/ ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

It has a strong "green" underlying message about the damage we are doing to the planet but it describes what will happen to many aspects of the world were all humans to dissapear overnight.

[kujawski]

i think the program you meant was

http://www.history.com/minisites/life_after_pe ople/

[Teddio]

Probably never. Fossilised remains of humans and their artefacts could remain in rocks for billions of years.

[WeAreBongo]

Thanks folks for your musings...

[chakka35]

Read The World Without Us by Alan Weisman. It is a totally gripping book that answers your question in great detail.

[WeAreBongo]

Just read the review on Amazon, and you know what? I think I will! Thanks...