General Discussion

There was a series a few years back, Life After People, that explored the ramifications of what would happen if people were to disappear tomorrow. One particular segment of the show looked at how quickly the desert would reclaim towns in Nevada, and the estimate was less than a decade. One particular city (I don't remember which) started out as a gold mining center that eventually became a major gambling hub before Las Vegas was established in the 1950s. Loss of revenue from the newer city, water drying up, sandstorms and the rise of the Interstates meant that by 1995 or thereabouts, the city was literally disappearing under the sand. That will be Las Vegas' fate one day as well, particularly as water rights become more and more contentious, and it will likely also be the fate of cities like Scottsdale, AZ.