As solid and unshakable as we think our civilization is, its grip on nature is tenuous at best. if any cracks appear in the faces of our buildings or our machines, nature is quick to move in and take over. with this in mind, here are 21 photos of places and things that nature is in the process of reclaiming.

Quite a bit of thought has been given to the idea of what earth might look like once we’re gone. indeed, many books and tv shows on the topic have found that nature would take our places fairly quickly. many cities would be re-colonized within a year or two, and many of our buildings would begin crumbling soon after without human maintenance or energy sources. the life after people series on the history channel has a comprehensive timeline of collapses detailing when various famous landmarks of human civilization throughout the world might give way to nature.

Imaɡe ᴄгeditѕ: Cгaᴄƙσala

Imaɡe ᴄгeditѕ: Rσmaiп JL

Imaɡe ᴄгeditѕ: meѕѕyпeѕѕyᴄһiᴄ.ᴄσm

Imaɡe ᴄгeditѕ: Etһaп Welty

Imaɡe ᴄгeditѕ: Jeѕѕe Rσᴄƙwell

Imaɡe ᴄгeditѕ: Jaѕσп Wallaᴄe

Imaɡe ᴄгeditѕ: Kyle Teleᴄһaп

Imaɡe ᴄгeditѕ: Rσѕaппe de Laпɡe

Imaɡe ᴄгeditѕ: Maгѕel Vaп Oσѕteп

Imaɡe ᴄгeditѕ: Pieггe Fσlƙ

Imaɡe ᴄгeditѕ: ΑпdyBгii

Imaɡe ᴄгeditѕ: wσгldbeyσпdyσυгσwп

Imaɡe ᴄгeditѕ: Wei-Feпɡ Xυe

Imaɡe ᴄгeditѕ: Sam Αbell

Imaɡe ᴄгeditѕ: Ilya Vaгlamσʋ

Imaɡe ᴄгeditѕ: bгσƙeпʋiew

Imaɡe ᴄгeditѕ: eпɡliѕһгυѕѕia.ᴄσm

Imaɡe ᴄгeditѕ: Pietгσ Beʋilaᴄզυa

Imaɡe ᴄгeditѕ: Bгad Gгσʋe

Imaɡe ᴄгeditѕ: Mattһiaѕ Haƙeг