Description:
The modern world needs electricity to sustain itself, but what would happen if the world’s power permanently went out?
Transcription:
The end of the world. In popular media, it's often been attributed to zombies, natural disasters or nuclear war. But it really wouldn't take that much for society to collapse. All of the conveniences and services we enjoy in the modern world rely on one thing to work. ELECTRICITY. So what would happen if one day the world suddenly went dark due to a permanent global blackout? Power grids across the world would inexplicably shut off regardless of the energy source. To put it lightly the whole world will be subject to Murphy's Law. Anything that can go wrong will go wrong. If all the power around the world suddenly went out the first facet of modern life to go would be our electronics phones, tablets, laptops and portable gaming consoles would basically turn into very expensive paperweights. Once they run out of juice. But even if you had an old Nokia lying around you'd find little use for it aside from playing the odd game of snake. Without electricity all the cell towers in the world would instantly be rendered inoperable. You wouldn't even be able to make a simple phone call over landline. Every major breakthrough we've had with communications technology would come undone in a snap. Communications technology is far from the only thing a global blackout would take away from us. We'd even lose access to basic plumbing. No power means no running water while tap water comes from natural sources such as groundwater or surface water. It has to be treated first at a WATER TREATMENT FACILITY. And you guessed it these facilities depend on electrical power to function and pump the treated water through the pipes
Losing out on these day-to-day conveniences would be the least of our concerns, though. For instance once BACKUP POWER in hospitals around the world runs out life-sustaining equipment such as VENTILATORS would cease to function as well depending on the hospital's access to OFF-GRID POWER. This could take anywhere from a few hours to a day. Once these generators run out of fuel millions of patients around the world in urgent care would perish. But it only gets worse from here. Days after a global blackout nuclear reactors will need immediate attention once they all run out of emergency power. Staff on site would need to act fast and scram any ongoing visions. If these emergency shutdowns are not completed before backup power runs out we'd be looking at multiple Chernobyl style nuclear meltdowns happening all around the world.
It's not all doom and gloom though. Once the dust clears those who are left will have to adapt. The food production industry just like all other industries will grind to a halt. Down the line people would have to break into warehouses just for a Twinkie. Everything you'd normally see in a supermarket would quickly become relics of a bygone era. Once these are looted in the ensuing chaos everyone would have to go back to farming and agriculture to feed themselves and their families. In this new world money would likely lose all value bank systems would go offline permanently and electronic cash registers in brick and mortar stores would cease to function as economies collapse around the world. We'd likely see a return to the feudal societies of old where control of variable land becomes the most valuable commodity. As much as we rely on electricity today. We might still be able to enjoy some modern conveniences without it. For instance long distance travel will definitely still be possible thanks to steam-powered trains and sailboats. Who knows? Engineers might just go back in that direction to power the new world. Humanity thrived for millennia without electricity and may very well continue to do so without it
Questions:
1. What do we rely on to all of the conveniences and services we enjoy in the modern world?
2. What will happen if all the power around the world suddenly went out?
3. Thoroughly explain what will the effect on electronics, communications technology, water, hospitals, food production industry and banks without electricity?
