Introduction, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3
It had taken some centuries of worsening circumstances to get rid of the thread humanity posed but in the end, the efforts were rewarded.
The human population had been reduced to just under 2 billion people who now lived in small communities scattered over the world. Most of them weren’t even able to interact with each other anymore, as a huge part of the global infrastructure was destroyed.
Nobody had noticed the creeping danger, not at first. But when scientists finally realized that nature was turning against humanity, that they were being attacked by plants, the group of organisms they had always seen as harmless, it had been too late.
More and more people died because of various reasons. Food sources were destroyed by aggressive invasive species that made any kind of farming impossible. Allergic reactions to pollen had become so prevalent that most governments had issued a form of modified gas masks to protect the population. Harmful algae bloom contaminated the fresh water all over the globe. Formerly harmless and even healthy food sources turned toxic.
There had been attempts to counteract the effects. Attempts to fight this war against nature and, if possible, win. But it hadn’t been possible. Genetically engineered crops failed to thrive. Herbicides lost their effectiveness. Medication couldn’t save anyone anymore.
Then the birth rates had started to drop and the children that were born rarely survived. Humanity adapted, but slowly. And when the selective pressure had finally created a human race that was able to withstand all the issues, the population had shrunk to a minimum.
Most knowledge from the time before the plants had turned on humans had been lost. There were tales of great technology and a growing society, but also warnings about pollution and death.
A lot of the pollution could still be found. Islands made of plastic were swimming in the oceans. Nuclear power plants leaked their radiation and created death zones. Toxic heavy metals, stored in landfills trickled into the rising groundwater which made ancient roads collapse into sinkholes.
Humanity had changed the earth for tens of thousands of years, even before they industrialized everything. It was impossible for nature to recover everything, to heal completely. But humanity didn’t threaten to destroy it anymore and recovery was finally possible.
The Great Consciousness was satisfied. Humanities destructiveness had been limited and now the humans had a new chance to define their place in the world.
There was hope that this time, it wouldn’t end in a disaster.
References:
Cut world population and redistribute resources, expert urges
Scientists say that ‘nature,’ untouched by humans, is now almost entirely gone
Earth Without People
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