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| Life After People | |
|---|---|
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| Created by | David de Vries |
| Narrated by | James Lurie |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of seasons | 3 (+ 1 special) |
| No. of episodes | 28 (+ 1 special) |
| Production | |
| Running time | 45 minutes |
| Production companies | Flight 33 Productions (Special, Seasons 1 and 2), Cream Productions (Season 3) |
| Original release | |
| Network | History |
| Release | January 21, 2008 (2008-01-21) – September 13, 2025 (2025-09-13) |
Life After People is a television series on which scientists,mechanical engineers, and other experts speculate about what might become of planet Earth ifhumanity suddenly disappeared. The featured experts also talk about the impact of human absence on the environment and the vestiges of civilization thus left behind. The series was preceded by a two-hour special that aired on January 21, 2008, on theHistory Channel which served as a de facto pilot for the series that premiered April 21, 2009. The documentary and subsequent series were both narrated by James Lurie.
After a 15 year hiatus, History will air a new third season beginning July 14, 2025.[1][failed verification]
The program does not speculate on how humanity may disappear, stipulating only that it has, and that it has done so suddenly, leaving everything behind including household pets and livestock that have to fend for themselves. Thethought experiment is based on documented results of the sudden removal of humans from a geographical area and thus, the discontinuation of the maintenance of buildings and urban infrastructure. Lurie's narration begins:
What would happen if every human on Earth disappeared? Thisisn't the story of how we might vanish...it is the story of what will happen to the world we leave behind.
The series' episodes thematically offer examples ofurban andbiological decay. The focus is on specific locations such as skyscrapers,religious icons, bridges and dams, and government buildings, and the fate of certain related objects, such as artifacts, documents and human bodies. The fate of some kinds of flora and fauna are covered as well. Each episode also contains a segment in which experts examine real locations that have been abandoned by people, includingghost towns and other sites of deterioration, where the deterioration has been caused by events similar to those outlined in the episode. Although the series speculates on the fates of landmarks around the world, the main focus is on situations that may occur at locations in the United States.
The various events that may occur after people disappear suddenly are depicted usingCGI dramatizations. The timeline of predicted events begins approximately one day after the disappearance of humankind and extends at various intervals up to one hundred million years into the future.
Beginning with the third season, there is use ofAI generated video. The new season's executive producer, Yoshi Stone, claimed that using AI technology helped them to "react much more quickly and really expand our visual horizons" at a lower cost. He cited Las Vegas as an example, in which he claimed that using AI helped them to visualize the entire city as a whole and not just limited to a single block or casino.[2]
| Season | Episodes | Originally aired | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | |||
| Special | January 21, 2008 (2008-01-21) | |||
| 1 | 10 | April 21, 2009 (2009-04-21) | June 23, 2009 (2009-06-23) | |
| 2 | 10 | January 5, 2010 (2010-01-05) | March 16, 2010 (2010-03-16) | |
| 3 | 8 | July 14, 2025 (2025-07-14) | September 13, 2025 (2025-09-13) | |
| Title | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|
| "Life After People" | January 21, 2008 (2008-01-21) | |
Pripyat, abandoned towns on islands off the coast of Maine, and tunnels under New York City are highlighted in this documentary to show how the landscape of our planet would drastically change in the event of human absence. | ||
| No. in series | No. in season | Title | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "The Bodies Left Behind" | April 21, 2009 (2009-04-21) | |
This episode looks at the future of cities likeBoston andHouston and their static structures after the disappearance of humanity and what will happen to the human bodies that areburied,embalmed, andmummified, as well as the fate of theImmortality Drive inside theInternational Space Station,cryonically frozen bodies and humanembryos, and parrots. This episode also examines the fate of theAstrodome, theBunker Hill Bridge, theJohn Hancock Tower, theJPMorgan Chase Tower, theSistine Chapel and theStatue of Liberty. The episode also exploresHashima Island in Japan, which was formerly host to several coal mines, but was left to nature in 1974 as the mines became depleted, having since become a tourist attraction as a result of its well-preserved ruins and as a site of industrial heritage. | ||||
| 2 | 2 | "Outbreak" | April 28, 2009 (2009-04-28) | |
This episode predicts the uncontrolled encroachment of nature upon the abandoned cities ofChicago,Atlanta andLondon, and how deadly viruses, like the one that causesrabies, could spawn out of control as the populations of escaped pets and other animals, likewild hogs and thecorgis belonging to QueenElizabeth II atBuckingham Palace, could explode without the interference of humanity. This episode also examines the fate ofBig Ben, theJohn Hancock Center, theL train, theSears Tower,Wrigley Field and theConfederate Memorial Carving, the latter of which may last for more than 5,000 years. The episode also explores nearbyGary, Indiana, portions of which were abandoned by people in the late 1970s. | ||||
| 3 | 3 | "The Capital Threat" | May 5, 2009 (2009-05-05) | |
In a life after people, the forces of nature could consume Washington, D.C. and America's national treasures as they fall into ruin, zoo animals could escape their enclosures, and Los Angeles could burn in an inferno, suffer a massive earthquake, and eventually return to its original state before it became civilized by humans. The episode also exploresAngkor Wat in Cambodia, which, while not fully abandoned, was largely neglected for centuries before its impressive preserved architecture and long history attracted renewed interest. | ||||
| 4 | 4 | "Heavy Metal" | May 12, 2009 (2009-05-12) | |
This episode projects how long the nation's buildings and bridges will stand before the elements consume the steel and concrete, from theEmpire State Building,Chrysler Building,Brooklyn Bridge and theRoosevelt Island Tramway in New York City to theGateway Arch inSt. Louis, and how once domesticated animals, like horses, will return to wild herds that roam America's grasslands. The episode also examines the ghost town ofRhyolite, Nevada, a town its designers wanted to rival Chicago, which was abandoned by people around 1910, and now stands remarkably intact, preserved by the dry air and regularly described as 'one of the most photographed ghost towns in the West'. | ||||
| 5 | 5 | "The Invaders" | May 20, 2009 (2009-05-20) | |
After the disappearance of humanity, sandstorms could sweep throughPhoenix, Miami and Shanghai might disappear into the ocean, and invasive plants and animals such asBurmese pythons will spread uncontrolled. Also included is the fate of theTaj Mahal in India, theKennedy Space Center, theGrand Canyon Skywalk, and theSeven Mile Bridge in theFlorida Keys. The episode also explores the village ofTyneham, England, which was requisitioned by the War Office in 1943 during World War II in preparation for theD-Day landings, and has remained under the ownership of the military ever since as a test range. | ||||
| 6 | 6 | "Bound and Buried" | May 26, 2009 (2009-05-26) | |
In a post-apocalyptic future, even sealed artifacts such as theLiberty Bell and theUnited States Declaration of Independence inPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania and the seeds of theSvalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway will not survive indefinitely. Wolf populations andferal dogs struggle to survive. In San Francisco cables snap on theGolden Gate Bridge and thecable cars are sent careening through the streets, while thePetronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur survive longer than most other modern towers. In Paris, the fate of theMona Lisa, the prehistoricLascaux caves, the modernLascaux II replica, theVenus de Milo and theNotre-Dame de Paris are shown. The episode also examinesCentralia, Pennsylvania, which was largely abandoned in 1984 because of acoal-seam fire burning beneath the town that continues to rage to this day. | ||||
| 7 | 7 | "Sin City Meltdown" | June 2, 2009 (2009-06-02) | |
This episode predicts how the gambling meccas of humankind will deteriorate without people; rats invadeLas Vegas, Nevada, the famous hotels such as theStratosphere Tower and theLuxor Las Vegas crumble to dust, theLas Vegas sign falls off its post, and the wax statues of celebrities at theMadame Tussauds museum melt under exposure to the hot desert air.Atlantic City is destroyed as ocean waves and hurricanes smash through casinos, break up the boardwalk and piers and tarnish the fate ofLucy the Elephant. Camels go wild in North America, like their ancestors, and are transformed after the next ice age. Over thousands of years, theVoyager space probes are battered by impacts from dust and debris, leaving few recognizable remnants of humanity behind. The episode also examines theAmericana Amusement Park inMonroe, Ohio, showing how degraded it has become after only recently having been abandoned in 2002. | ||||
| 8 | 8 | "Armed & Defenseless" | June 9, 2009 (2009-06-09) | |
In a future without people, the machines of war deteriorate; nuclear submarines lie on the ocean floor, and theUSSMissouri is the target of a renewed "attack" onPearl Harbor, as the ship transforms into a plant-covered island. Most dairy cows die, but a few survive and adapt to life on America's plains alongside thriving herds ofbison. This episode also examinesAloha Tower inHonolulu, theWells Fargo Center inDenver andNorth Brother Island off of New York City, which was abandoned around 1960. | ||||
| 9 | 9 | "The Road To Nowhere" | June 16, 2009 (2009-06-16) | |
This episode looks at how vehicles will deteriorate without people, how America's automobile plants and transportation symbols such as theRenaissance Center and theAmbassador Bridge will shatter in Detroit's harsh winters, and how unattended oil refineries will explode. InSan Antonio theAlamo falls to a new invader, and theTower Life Building meets its demise. Also, animals adapt,armadillos spread, some dogs rekindle their hunting instincts, andlonghorn cattle flourish once again. This episode also examines thePackard plant and the 60 square miles (160 km2) of Detroit which were abandoned in the 1960s. | ||||
| 10 | 10 | "Waters Of Death" | June 23, 2009 (2009-06-23) | |
In a world devoid of humans, water floods cities likeNew Orleans andSeattle. The marine animals housed inside theformer city's aquarium die off.Head lice become extinct without human hosts. The fate of Seattle's symbolicSpace Needle is shown as the city reverts to asalt marsh, and the humid atmosphere over the Arabian Peninsula wrecks the space-age structures ofDubai, including theBurj Al Arab hotel. The fate ofSaint Basil's Cathedral in Moscow is shown and Louisiana's tallest building,One Shell Square, collapses. The episode examines the areas of New Orleans that were damaged byHurricane Katrina and were left in ruins after the flood water receded. | ||||
| No. in series | No. in season | Title | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 1 | "Wrath of God" | January 5, 2010 (2010-01-05) | |
This episode predicts the fate of humanity's religious symbols and artifacts after the disappearance of humans – such as theChrist the Redeemer statue which stands overRio de Janeiro, theCrystal Cathedral and theMemorial Coliseum in Southern California, theColosseum, theJubilee Church andSt. Peter's Basilica in Rome, and theShroud of Turin. Rattlesnakes thrive in theAmerican Southwest, and shepherd dogs, following the instincts bred into them by humans, continue to protect sheep for several generations. The episode also examinesKolmanskop, a desert town inNamibia established by the Germans during adiamond rush, and abandoned in the 1960s, having remained in remarkable condition thanks to the arid environment of the surroundingNamib Desert. | ||||
| 12 | 2 | "Toxic Revenge" | January 12, 2010 (2010-01-12) | |
In a life after people, toxic materials leak into the environment without human intervention:spent nuclear fuel rods spontaneously burst into flames,chlorine gas spills out of tanks and turns lakes into deadly acid, and in New York City undergroundmethane gas originates fromGrand Central Terminal and leaks into the adjacentMetLife Building, which eventually ignites an explosion. Cargo ships from theGreat Lakes drift past the fallenInternational Railway Bridge and tumble over the edge ofNiagara Falls.Raccoons use homes as a temporary paradise. The episode also featuresPicher, Oklahoma, a toxic former lead mining town which has been slowly abandoned ever since the 1970s. | ||||
| 13 | 3 | "Crypt of Civilization" | January 19, 2010 (2010-01-19) | |
This episode looks at how crypts, safes, vaults andtime capsules survive in a post-apocalyptic world, including a visit to the mysterious "Crypt of Civilization" atOglethorpe University inAtlanta, Georgia, theGherkin in London, theMarine Corps War Memorial and theLibrary of Congress in Washington, D.C. Military-trainedGerman Shepherds battlecoyotes in the wild and theremains of naval heroJohn Paul Jones are entombed byrising sea levels inAnnapolis, Maryland. The proposedKEO satellite,Rosetta disks (focusing on one at theSmithsonian Institution), and the prototype10,000-year clock meet their fates in the far future. The episode also examinesNorwich State Hospital in Connecticut, sections of which were abandoned between 1970 and 1995. | ||||
| 14 | 4 | "The Last Supper" | January 26, 2010 (2010-01-26) | |
In a world without people, humanity's food supplies decay as supermarkets turn into breeding grounds for insects and vermin, humidity causesLeonardo da Vinci's muralThe Last Supper in theSanta Maria delle Grazie to crumble, and both the landmarkRandy's Donuts restaurant in Los Angeles and the restaurant atopTaipei 101 in Taiwan eventually succumb to the force of gravity.Snack cakes - including acertain brand known for its longevity - survive at least 25 years thanks to thepreservatives inside them, but are outlasted by jars of honey, which can remain edible for millennia. The episode also includes footage from theMexia Supermarket inFort Worth, Texas, which sat abandoned for three months in 1999 with all its contents still inside after its owners went bankrupt and fled the USA, leaving a horrendous clean-up operation in their wake. This episode also examines theTranquille Farms in theBritish Columbia Interior, which were abandoned and closed in 1985, and have since started returning to a natural state. | ||||
| 15 | 5 | "Home Wrecked Homes" | February 2, 2010 (2010-02-02) | |
This episode predicts the apocalyptic fate of homes—from theStahl House outside Los Angeles tothe San Remo in New York City.Co-op City sinks beneath the tide andDubai'sBurj Khalifa (the tallest building in the world) corrodes and collapses. Gas leaks turn suburban homes such asLevittown into infernos, a hidden flaw topplesHearst Castle,linseed oil in paint-soaked rags causes some high-end homes, including the San Remo apartments, to explode in flames, and the contents of theBettman/Corbis Archive in Pennsylvania meet a tragic fate.Bobcats use abandoned houses as dens, and zebras from theHearst Castle private zoo escape and survive for generations. The episode also visits the picturesque Italian commune ofBalestrino, which has an old section that was completely abandoned due to geologic instability, with its residents moving the centre of the town to the foot of the hill on which the old buildings are built on. | ||||
| 16 | 6 | "Holiday Hell" | February 9, 2010 (2010-02-09) | |
Vacation destinations and holiday treasures are featured in this episode; fireworks factories explode with no people to see the event, sand insideKnott's Berry Farm'sSilver Bullet roller coaster is the key to its destruction, and domesticated reindeer join herds of wild caribou, only to be hunted by wolves. Lions escape theSan Diego Wild Animal Park and fill the ecological roleAmerican lions once had. NearbyPalm Springs is consumed by the desert, itsaerial tramway suffers a catastrophic failure, and itswind turbines shatter. In Detroit, Aldrige's Always Christmas store witnesses a not-so-jolly scene as the power goes out, only to later experience a somewhat more natural festive display when the winter weather blows snow inside, while plants compete for shelf space with decorations andfruitcake, which can survive for at least 130 years if prepared and stored properly. Meanwhile, whiledomestic turkeys struggle to survive, theirwild counterparts continue to thrive. This episode also examines theSalton Sea andSalton City, California, a town once intended to be a resort community, but these plans never materialised, with some areas left in an eerie state of rust andurban decay. | ||||
| 17 | 7 | "Waves of Devastation" | February 16, 2010 (2010-02-16) | |
This episode examines the effects of water on humanity's structures.Rotterdam andAmsterdam flood aslevees fail, washing away the treasures of theBoijmans Museum, whileSacramento is first swamped, then destroyed when theFolsom Dam ruptures. Non-nativeAsian carp, long the bane of boaters and conservationists, slip through human-made barriers to invade theGreat Lakes, but must compete with another invasive species: thesea lamprey. TheTrans-Alaska Pipeline spills its hazardous contents, theSanta Monica Pier sinks into the ocean, theSydney Opera House caves in, and theSydney Harbour Bridge tears apart. The episode also explores the former Soviet coal mining town ofPyramiden on theSvalbard archipelago, abandoned in 1998 when the mine closed. Pyramiden will likely remain intact for many years, as a combination of deliberate maintenance for tourists visiting the area and cold arctic temperatures have preserved the town's architecture. | ||||
| 18 | 8 | "Sky's the Limit" | March 2, 2010 (2010-03-02) | |
Human neglect affects the world's skies and aeronautic icons, includingAir Force One, theTheme Building and acontrol tower atLos Angeles International Airport, theSpirit of St. Louis in theNational Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., and theKVLY-TV mast inNorth Dakota. Elsewhere,Rocky Mountain locusts invade the cities in theMidwest,Mount Everest's ice preserves artifacts left by climbers and even the bodies of climbers who died on its summit, and the migratory patterns of birds and even the weather are affected by the absence of humankind patrolling the skies. The solar-powered radio stationKTAO continues broadcasting long after humans are gone, thanks to its efficientsolar panels and computer-operated broadcast.Cassini makes a crash landing onSaturn's moonEnceladus, leading toextremophile bacteria from Earth that had been present inside the probe colonizing its possible water ocean and possibly causing life to evolve on it. The episode also visitsRCAF Station Edgar inOro-Medonte, Ontario, aCold War radar site which was abandoned in 1999, and the agingBerlin Tempelhof Airport in Germany which was closed in 2008. | ||||
| 19 | 9 | "Depths of Destruction" | March 9, 2010 (2010-03-09) | |
The underground and underwater world suffers a destructive destiny in a post-human era. TheNORADoperations facility comes under assault, but theecho chambers below the foundation of theCapitol Records Building in Los Angeles outlast the structure's downfall. The subterraneanCarlsbad Caverns in New Mexico are repopulated by bats, mineral rich water and geothermal heating means the already giganticgypsum crystals inside theNaica Mine'sCave of the Crystals grow larger still, and humankind's former geothermal power sites such asthe Geysers in northern California relinquish their strength to geologic forces. TheSEA Underground system atSeattle's airport is disabled, theUnderwater Sculpture Gardens outside ofSt. George's, Grenada provides new foundations for growingcoral reefs, andPrairie dogs reclaim their territory inLubbock. The episode features theBonne Terre Mine, which was closed in 1962 and subsequently became partially flooded, and also thesteamboatArabia inParkville, Missouri. | ||||
| 20 | 10 | "Take Me To Your Leader" | March 16, 2010 (2010-03-16) | |
This episode analyzes how structures and testaments devoted to world leaders factor adversely without human sustainment, among them include theWhite House, thePalace of Versailles,Thomas Jefferson's home atMonticello, theSecretariat Building and theGeneral Assembly Chamber of theUnited Nations Headquarters, and theHall of Supreme Harmony in China'sForbidden City. Theentombed body ofUlysses S. Grant is buried for the first time in history when theLondon planes that grow nearby generate enough soil to cover the tomb's sarcophagus, andMao Zedong's mysterious body at theMausoleum of Mao Zedong submits to the quirks of his embalmers. As a result of his owner's disappearance, the dependent life ofBarack Obama's dog, "Bo," is transformed as he embarks on an adventure into the wilderness. The episode also examines the aftermath of theHiroshima bomb on theSan Francisco Naval Shipyard inHunters Point. | ||||
| No. in series | No. in season | Title | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | 1 | "Water World" | July 14, 2025 (2025-07-14) | |
This episode explores how water, a life-giver, becomes a destructive force in a world without humans. Due to the invasiveNutria population, and several hurricanes, the levees of New Orleans fail, while in theThames Estuary, the explosives left in theSS Richard Montgomery are triggered, causing London to flood. The episode also highlights the impact of water on infrastructure, like the collapse of Louisiana'sSuperdome, along with the collapsing ofGERD and theAswan Dam, both leading to the flooding of the Nile. It features the sinking ofAdventure of the Seas and the struggle for survival ofNile Crocodiles moving intoLake Nasser in a world without human intervention. | ||||
| 22 | 2 | "Shop ’Til You Drop" | July 21, 2025 (2025-07-21) | |
Explores the fate of human-made structures related to shopping and shipping after people disappear. TheMall of America's K9s are kicked out by wolves, the top floor collapses on a display car, causing itsbattery to explode. ThePort of Shanghai is destroyed by a roaming Cargo Ship. TheHMM Oslo crashes into a tanker of Jet Fuel, and loses lots of its cargo. Grocery stores are infested with rats, and laterBarn Owls. After the ignition of the Port of Shanghai, arrives of theSouth China Tiger. It also examines the impact on food storage, like freeze-dried food. | ||||
| 23 | 3 | "Urban Jungles" | July 28, 2025 (2025-07-28) | |
In the absence of humanity, the world's most iconic cities—from New York, to Orlando, to Rio de Janeiro—arereclaimed by nature, as forests rise, animals roam free, and fire and flood undo centuries of construction. With the failing of itsTuned mass damper,Central Park Tower, housing theSnow Monkeys that escaped fromCentral Park Zoo, collapses ontoBillionaires' Row. What's left of the Statue of Liberty falls. Landslides crash into Rio'sFavelas, Lighting strikes Christ the Redeemer, andTijuca National Park reclaims lots of Rio's coast. The natural gas pipelines underground send Orlando into flames. Orlando is weakened and slowly succumbs to the surrounding swamp andKudzu population. | ||||
| 24 | 4 | "Sands of Time" | August 4, 2025 (2025-08-04) | |
In a world without humans, the deserts we once tamed rise to reclaim our greatest triumphs—from the glittering lights of Las Vegas to the soaring heights of Dubai's Burj Khalifa. TheImperial Valley is both flooded by theAll-American Canal and scorched, and theSalton Sea completely dries up, All of the collected toxins from the Imperial Valley are put into a sandstorm, and crashes into Los Angeles. Las Vegas is swarmed with Moths and Grasshoppers, itstransformers are ignited and the city goes dark, and later goes on fire. Withoutquicklime,Caesars Palace deteriorates. The generators used to protect the structural integrity of the Burj Khalifa turn off in weeks,Mesquite Trees surround its foundation, and one lightning strike lights it in flames, then its elevators fall during another sandstorm, causing its demise. | ||||
| 25 | 5 | "Home On The Strange" | August 12, 2025 (2025-08-12) | |
After humanity ceases to exist, the homes we built—from suburban mansions and Miami condos to rural farmhouses—face a relentless siege by fire, flood, wildlife, and time.One Thousand Museum and other condominiums in Miami fall. Many of them infested with cockroaches.Domestic Pigs break out and go feral. ThePalo Verde Nuclear Generating Station explodes, spreading all of its toxins into nearby Mesa. | ||||
| 26 | 6 | "The Underground Rises" | August 19, 2025 (2025-08-19) | |
When humanity vanishes, the vast and fragile infrastructure hidden underground, from subways and pipelines to one of the biggest coal seams in the United States begins to unravel. | ||||
| 27 | 7 | "Built to Last" | August 25, 2025 (2025-08-25) | |
Humanity’s strongest structures were engineered to defy disaster—but in a world without people, even the mightiest begin to crack. | ||||
| 28 | 8 | "Ticking Time Bombs" | September 13, 2025 (2025-09-13) | |
Hidden dangers once held at bay by humans erupt with catastrophic force—from everyday objects ready to explode to chemical plants and locust plagues—as nature and human legacy collide, these ticking time bombs threaten to send the world up in smoke. | ||||
A&E Home Video has released these DVDs:
That of the original documentary:
That of the first season of the series:
That of the second season of the series:
The two-hour special documentary had an audience of 5.4 million viewers and was the most watched program ever on theHistory Channel.[3] The program was broadcast in the United Kingdom onChannel 4 and narrated byStruan Rodger on May 29, 2008 and in Australia onChannel Seven on November 25, 2008, edited down to air for 90 minutes and included additional footage of a decaying Sydney Harbour Bridge, with narration by Australian television presenterSimon Reeve.[4]
| External videos | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Life After People (FULL EPISODES) playlist onYouTube byHistory (TV Network) |
