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It would get dark -

If power stations are not supplied with fuel and maintenance, they will eventually stop producing electricity. This means that cities would experience total blackout.

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Livestock would be released into the wild -

Without electricity, electric fences would no longer work so leading to livestock such as cows, pigs, and chickens roaming free.

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Pets would struggle -

In the absence of human care, domestic animals would resort to any means necessary in order to obtain food and ensure their survival. Unfortunately, many pets would starve or dehydrate.

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Human parasites would disappear -

Parasites that depend on humans, critters such as lice, would be left without a host in the event of human extinction. They might evolve to survive on other species, but it's likely they would die out too. 

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Endangered species would thrive -

In the absence of human intervention, species teetering on the brink of extinction could potentially rebound and flourish. So it seems that not all news is bad news.

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Flooding -

Electricity is crucial for the functioning of the pumps that prevent flooding in tunnels and subway passages; without electricity they would be flooded.

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Nuclear blasts -

Without human supervision, the cooling systems in nuclear power plants would fail and blow up. These explosions would release a huge amount of radiation into the atmosphere and severely affect all forms of life.

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Numbers of household pests would decline -

Animals such as rats, cockroaches, and other pests that find food in homes would probably decline. But they would eventually adapt and seek sustenance elsewhere.

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Tamed animals could go wild -

Some domesticated animals would return to their wild origins. Even if some of them did not survive at first, certain species would go back to their original ways of living. 

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Corrosion -

Without human care, the process of corrosion would lead to the collapse of metal structures. Everything from bridges to monuments would buckle over time.

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The end of industrial pollution -

The factories would stop working. This means that the release of pollutants would also halt. The air quality would improve significantly.

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Dogs with decreased survival instincts would be killed -

Smaller dogs bred specifically for the home would probably fall prey to stronger creatures if they didn't have the protection of humans.

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Nature would take over pavements -

Without regular maintenance, vegetation would spread quickly and engulf the pavements of our city streets.

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Wildfires would burn for years -

With no firefighters, wildfires would continue to blaze for an indefinite period of time. These fires can be triggered by natural causes such as lightning strikes, volcanoes, or coal seam fires.

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Desert cities would be buried -

Cities like Las Vegas or Dubai could over time be swallowed up by the desert sands, which would ultimately lead to their complete burial.

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Satellites would fall to Earth -

Without human intervention, satellites would fall from their orbit around the Earth and crash onto the surface of the planet.

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Raw sewage overflow -

Here is another example of how electricity currently controls life on our planet. Without it, untreated sewage would eventually overflow and contaminate all surrounding areas.

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Nature would reclaim cities -

Cities with large parks would be the first to be swallowed up by greenery. Central Park in New York City, for example, would slowly spread across Manhattan.

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Dams would collapse -

Without any maintenance, dams would collapse over time and cause major flooding. Some of the flooded areas would then turn into swamps.

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Wood structures would be eaten -

Without humans around, termites would eventually eat up all wooden houses and structures.

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Modified fruit and veg would be affected -

Fruit and vegetable varieties that have been modified by humans would, over time, likely revert to their wild form. 

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Some animals would have to adapt to new habitats -

If lions escape from zoos without human supervision, they will not find themselves in the African savanna. These and other species would have to find new habitats and adapt to their surroundings.

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CO2 levels would slowly return to pre-human levels -

Scientists estimate that it would take around 100,000 years for the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere to return to the level it was before human influence.

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Marine life would thrive -

Life in the oceans would thrive without fishing and pollutants.

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Insects would rule -

According to Alan Weisman, author of the book 'The World Without Us', insect populations would boom: "They can mutate and adapt faster than anything else on the planet except for maybe microbes." 

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More insects, more food -

This explosion in insect populations would have a direct impact on the food chain. Populations of insectivorous species such as arachnids, birds, and reptiles would also increase.

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Nature would slowly take care of plastic -

There will be a lot of plastic left, but nature will effectively adapt over time. It's likely that microbes capable of consuming plastic would evolve.

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Reminders of human presence -

After thousands of years, little evidence of human existence will remain. Only stone structures such as the Egyptian pyramids will stand as reminders of our presence.

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Traces of humanity -

The evidence would not only be limited, it would also be sparse. The Great Wall of China is another huge man-made structure that would probably remain intact.

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Monumental success -

And so would Mount Rushmore. It's believed that monuments like these would still exist many thousands of years after the extinction of mankind, scattered all over the planet.

Sources: (BBC Science Focus) (List25)

See also: These abandoned locations have been reclaimed by Mother Nature

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