An Imaginary Journey into a World Without Humans: What Would Have Happened If Our Ancestors Had Disappeared?

Today, with over 8 billion people on Earth, it's hard to believe that around 900,000 years ago, humanity was on the brink of extinction. Our ancestors faced such a severe crisis that only 1,280 individuals remained—a number equivalent to a small village. During this critical period, nearly 98% of the human population disappeared, and this demographic bottleneck lasted for over 100,000 years. The exact reasons for this crisis remain unclear, but drastic climate changes were likely the main cause.

At that time, glacial periods were longer, seas were colder, and glaciers were more numerous. Monsoons were extremely violent but brought less rain, affecting the flora and fauna in Africa and Eurasia. Many plants and animals, which were vital food sources for our ancestors, vanished. However, our ancestors showed resilience and eventually overcame these difficulties. Temperatures began to rise, and humans improved their management of fire, allowing their population to grow again. But what would have happened if humanity had disappeared at that time? Imagine a world where nature reclaimed its dominance in the absence of humans.

Without human presence, there would be no empires, no pyramids, and none of the great achievements of ancient civilizations. No cities, parks, or benches where you could sit and drink coffee. In fact, there would be no coffee at all. No pools, amusement parks, or crowded beaches. No means of transportation to cross oceans; animals would have to wait millions of years for tectonic plates to shift and connect new territories.

The world would be impressively quiet without the noises of modern civilization. No car engines, no honking, no loud music from bars or gyms. The sky would be a pure blue, without a trace of pollution. Rain and wind would naturally clean the planet without human intervention.

Drinking water would only be found in lakes and rivers, where wild animals would gather to drink. Domesticated animals like dogs and cats wouldn't exist, and you'd encounter wild animals everywhere. Without electricity, gadgets would quickly run out of power, and without the internet, you would be the only one to see the photos you took.

Grass would grow freely, untamed, making walking difficult without maintained paths. New plants would constantly emerge, without human selection to cultivate or eliminate them. Insects would proliferate without restriction, their buzzing filling the air.

Creatures would follow the natural rhythm of day and night, and wildfires ignited by lightning would spread without human control. It's astounding to think that the Earth would fare well without us, just as it did after the disappearance of dinosaurs, megalodons, woolly mammoths, and other extinct species.

However, not all scientists agree that our ancestors were so close to extinction. Researchers used a tool called "Fit Coal" to analyze changes in ancient human populations based on genetic information from modern individuals. They studied the DNA of over 3,000 people in Africa and elsewhere for this study. Some believe that the actual population might have been larger.

Numerous archaeological sites in Eurasia and Africa dating back to this period suggest that the crisis may have affected only certain human groups in specific areas. It was not the end of humanity but rather a new beginning. Two ancestral chromosomes combined to form chromosome 2 in modern humans, possibly marking the start of a new species distinct from our common ancestors with Neanderthals and Denisovans.

Humanity has survived many crises throughout its history, but scientists believe that the extinction of our species is a matter of when, not if. Our cities will return to nature, our buildings will fall into ruins, and forests will reclaim their place. Roots and trees will overtake our structures, as seen at Angkor Wat in Cambodia, and Roman ruins will testify to our passage for centuries.

Nature will eventually erase almost all traces of our civilization. If humanity were to disappear, a new intelligent species could emerge, although it might take millions of years.

This brings us back to the Fermi paradox: despite billions of planets potentially harboring life in our galaxy, we have no evidence of its existence. Perhaps some crucial steps in the evolution of intelligent life are so rare that they almost never occur.

The Earth would thrive without us, but we must take care of our planet while we are here. That's all for today. If you found this article interesting, share it with your friends. To learn more, stay curious.