What would the world be like after 10,000 years if we all suddenly disappeared?

My story involves everyone in the year 2015 suddenly disappearing. What would visitors to Earth find if they arrived in the year 12015, or 10,000 years after we all disappeared? Assume none of our infrastructure has been maintained during that period.

I'm especially interested to know what would remain of our technology and infrastructure, such as roads, buildings, major installations, ships and aircraft, observatories, bridges, the pyramids, etc.

Would these things be completely gone or would there be some rubble and other evidence left? What about stuff like kitchen and laundry appliances, mobile phones, etc? Would these things completely disintegrate, or would there be some bits left? What about stuff made of stainless steel like cutlery and kitchen sinks?

I want to understand two things:

1. Would there be any evidence on or very near the surface that our civilisation once existed?
2. Would there be anything useful (or close to useful) left behind?

Bonus question: What would the world look like? Would climate change have raised ocean levels, or would it be close to now? Are there any parts of the world which definitely would have changed through erosion or other forces? For example, the Grand Canyon or The Twelve Apostles (rock formation in Australia).

posted about 9 years ago

Mark Micallef‭

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