Originally published: New York : Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin's Press, 2007

Prelude : A monkey koan -- A lingering scent of Eden -- Unbuilding our home -- The city without us -- The world just before us -- The lost menagerie -- The African paradox -- What falls apart -- What lasts -- Polymers are forever -- The petro patch -- The world without farms -- The fate of ancient and modern wonders of the world -- The world without war -- Wings without us -- Hot legacy -- Our geologic record -- Where do we go from here? -- Art beyond us -- The sea cradle -- Coda : our earth, our souls

A study of what would happen to Earth if the human presence was removed examines our legacy for the planet, from the objects that would vanish without human intervention to those that would become long-lasting remnants of humankind