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If we burned this planet down and waited 700,000,000 years, would remnants of our civilisation remain? On the one hand, we have structures that are massive bloc

If we burned this planet down and waited 700,000,000 years, would remnants of our civilisation remain? On the one hand, we have structures that are massive blocks of concrete and metal that I find hard to imagine fading away. We've got stuff in space and on the moon. On the other hand, there's weathering and erosion which would be amplified by chaotic weather patterns. And 700 million years is a long time. I'm leaning towards us leaving some evidence behind, but it's such an inconceivable amount of time that I'm not really sure.

pharke 6y ago
In the case of Venus there's likely little left due to extreme volcanic activity[0]. Even if we didn't create a hellscape like Venus on Earth, over 700,000,000 years geological processes would grind those structures to dust. Repeated glaciation every 41,000 years or so would act the fastest but over hundreds of millions of years the surface would be significantly altered by tectonic movement. Add to that all the insults of rain, oceans, rivers, wind, volcanism, and biology. Practically nothing would be left except for maybe the fossilized remains of some junk thrown into rivers that managed to sink into the mud and then ride the tectonic waves up onto some high escarpment. Even the orbits of satellites decay. The few artifacts we left on the Moon would stand the best chance. This is why the only hope we have is to spread out into the solar system and beyond. If we stay in our tiny ecological niche on this island we're doomed to extinction and erasure. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus#Surface_geology https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus#Surface_geology
- fennecfoxen 6y ago
  > Even the orbits of satellites decay. Near-Earth satellites, yes; the thinnest wisps of the edge of the atmosphere slow them down. Further out, however, in geostationary orbit, satellites are not subject to such forces. They may be disrupted long-term by the gravitational influence of other distant bodies, but I think I'd worry more about the potential impact from micrometeorites.
jasonwatkinspdx 6y ago
> If we burned this planet down and waited 700,000,000 years, would remnants of our civilisation remain? I've seen this discussed a bunch over the years, and the informed answer to me seems to be that various isotopes and such would remain in trace amounts as clear evidence of technology.

pharke 6y ago

In the case of Venus there's likely little left due to extreme volcanic activity[0]. Even if we didn't create a hellscape like Venus on Earth, over 700,000,000 years geological processes would grind those structures to dust. Repeated glaciation every 41,000 years or so would act the fastest but over hundreds of millions of years the surface would be significantly altered by tectonic movement. Add to that all the insults of rain, oceans, rivers, wind, volcanism, and biology. Practically nothing would be left except for maybe the fossilized remains of some junk thrown into rivers that managed to sink into the mud and then ride the tectonic waves up onto some high escarpment. Even the orbits of satellites decay. The few artifacts we left on the Moon would stand the best chance. This is why the only hope we have is to spread out into the solar system and beyond. If we stay in our tiny ecological niche on this island we're doomed to extinction and erasure. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus#Surface_geology https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus#Surface_geology

fennecfoxen 6y ago
> Even the orbits of satellites decay. Near-Earth satellites, yes; the thinnest wisps of the edge of the atmosphere slow them down. Further out, however, in geostationary orbit, satellites are not subject to such forces. They may be disrupted long-term by the gravitational influence of other distant bodies, but I think I'd worry more about the potential impact from micrometeorites.

jasonwatkinspdx 6y ago

> If we burned this planet down and waited 700,000,000 years, would remnants of our civilisation remain? I've seen this discussed a bunch over the years, and the informed answer to me seems to be that various isotopes and such would remain in trace amounts as clear evidence of technology.