The World Without Us

The World Without Us is a nonfiction book by American journalist Alan Weisman, published in 2007. It combines scientific reporting, interviews with experts, and thought experiments to explore what would physically happen to Earth's infrastructure, ecosystems, and cities if the entire human population abruptly vanished.

Weisman reports that without human maintenance, New York's subway tunnels would flood within days as water pumps failed, roads would crack as tree roots penetrated the pavement, and buildings would eventually collapse under the combined effects of water, vegetation, and weathering. The book uses these specific scenarios to illustrate how quickly human infrastructure would be reclaimed by nature.

Weisman explores how domesticated species like dogs, cats, and livestock would fare, concluding that many would struggle or die without human care, while some species would adapt and revert toward wild behaviors. The book notes that certain breeds dependent on humans for survival would be particularly vulnerable, while feral populations of cats and pigs could thrive.

The book's central thought experiment illustrates that while nature would eventually erase most traces of human civilization, certain long-lasting pollutants like plastics, nuclear waste, and some agricultural chemicals would persist for thousands of years. Weisman uses this framing to comment on the environmental impact of human activity without prescribing a specific political solution.