What If We All Disappeared?

Back when I was a sales rep and spent countless hours driving the interstate system of the southeast, I often found myself envisioning grass growing through cracks in those roads while kudzu crept in from the sides. I can't explain why - but I found those images really appealing and I spent an absurd amount of time wondering how quickly those roads would grow over if nobody were driving over them. And how long would it take for the trees to spread back into those grassy clearings beneath the power lines?

Now there's a book that answers all of my questions! Check out this fun graphic (well - fun for me - in an admittedly weird way) showing a progression of events beginning with the sudden disappearance of all humans. There's also an animation showing the slow decay of a house. When I was a kid we sometimes found remnants of houses on our hikes - part of a foundation or the remains of a stone wall or - if we were really lucky - a standing fireplace and part of a chimney with just a foundation around it. So this isn't a newly-developed interest. But for those out there who may share it - here are some photos of abandoned cities in the former USSR. And here are some in the US. Have fun!