Humans consider themselves the dominant species on the planet. We build sky-splitting cities, change the course of rivers, travel to the moon, and communicate at the speed of light. From our perspective, we are the rulers of the Earth. But what if we put that human arrogance aside for a moment and look at the bigger picture? What if we imagined a world in which humans suddenly disappeared?
Who would take our place? Who would become the new “ruler” of the planet? Would it be intelligent primates, resilient insects, or some other animal species? The answer is surprising and a bit humiliating for our egos: the real rulers are already here. And they would continue their rule without even noticing that we are gone.
The illusion of human dominance
Our dominance is based on the standards we set ourselves: intelligence, technology, culture. However, if we apply biological standards, our position on the throne becomes quite shaky.
- By number: If dominance is a matter of numbers, then we are far from the top. It is estimated that there are over a million ants for every person on the planet. Their total biomass (collective weight) is equal to or greater than the total biomass of humanity.
- By mass: If mass is any measure, then the fungal kingdom far outnumbers the human species. Invisible networks of mycelium permeate the ground beneath our feet, and their combined weight far exceeds the mass of all 7.8 billion humans.
- In terms of resistance and longevity: In this field, the absolute and undisputed champions are bacteria.
The real rulers of the planet: Bacteria
Bacteria are the true masters of the Earth. They were here billions of years before us and will be here long after we are gone. Their rule is silent, invisible, but absolute.
They are the ones who invented photosynthesis and created the oxygen we breathe today, filling the atmosphere and enabling the development of more complex life. They inhabit every conceivable corner of the planet – from the highest layers of the atmosphere to the deepest ocean trenches and volcanic vents where temperatures exceed 100°C. They live in our guts, on our skin, in the soil and in the water.
It is impossible to determine their exact number, but estimates put it at thousands of trillions of individuals, meaning their total mass is greater than that of all plants and animals combined. Despite our most powerful antibiotics, they adapt, evolve, and continue to cause diseases that claim millions of lives every year.
If humans disappeared, bacteria would simply continue their work. They would decompose our cities, our corpses, and the remains of our civilization, returning matter back to the natural cycle. Their reign would not be interrupted; they would just get rid of one noisy and destructive tenant.
Who would fill the void? New pretenders to the throne
While bacteria continued their invisible reign, the disappearance of humans would open up a huge ecological niche. Which animals would take advantage of this opportunity?
1. Rats and Insects – Masters of Survival: In the first decades and centuries, the biggest winners would probably be rats and insects like cockroaches. They have perfectly adapted to living alongside humans and our cities. With humans gone, they would have access to vast food supplies in abandoned shops and warehouses, with no predators to keep them in check. Their populations would explode, spreading across the ruins of our civilization.
2. Large Mammals – Return to the Wild: Without human hunting and habitat destruction, large mammal populations would recover. Deer, wolves, bears, and wild boars would return to the territories that were once theirs. Herds of bison would once again roam the plains, and large predators would take over as the top of the food chain. Domesticated animals, such as cattle and sheep, would quickly become easy prey. Only the strongest and most adaptable individuals would survive, reverting to their wild origins.
3. Primates – Our closest relatives: Chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans possess high intelligence, the ability to use tools and complex social structures. Without human threat, their populations could expand. Could they evolve in a few million years into a new intelligent species capable of creating a civilization? It is possible, but not guaranteed. Evolution has no predetermined goal. Human intelligence is just one of millions of possible evolutionary paths.
Ultimately, the disappearance of humans would not lead to a single species “taking over” the planet in the way we imagine. Instead, life would return to a state of dynamic equilibrium. The planet would continue to turn, ecosystems would recover, and evolution would take new, unpredictable paths.
The story of a world without people is a lesson in humility. It reminds us that we are just one branch on the vast tree of life. We are not the rulers of the planet; we are just its temporary, and rather problematic, occupants. The true rulers have always been here, silent and invisible, and their era has never ended.
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