Meta Plans World-Spanning Internet Cables, Elusive Orange Cat Gene Found, and If Humans Disappeared on Earth
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Welcome to Discover Daily by Perplexity, an AI-generated show on tech, science and culture. I'm Alex. And I'm Sienna. Today we're looking at what would happen if humans suddenly vanished from Earth. The changes might surprise you. But first, here's what else is happening.

First up, Meta is planning an ambitious $10 billion undersea cable project nicknamed W. The reported 24,000-mile cable network will connect multiple continents in a W-shaped pattern, linking the US East Coast to India via South Africa, then to Australia and back to the US West Coast.

This is Meta's first exclusively owned subsea cable, marking a shift from their current partial ownership in 16 other cables. The project faces some interesting hurdles: there aren't many companies that can lay these cables and it needs complex international approvals. It's still in early planning stages, with more details expected in early 2025.

The initial investment will be $2 billion, potentially growing to $10 billion over time. What's notable is that Meta's platforms reportedly drive 10% of fixed internet traffic and 22% of mobile traffic worldwide.

The cable's unique W-shaped root is specifically designed to avoid high-risk geopolitical zones like the Red Sea, South China Sea, and critical points such as the Straits of Malacca and Singapore. Now to some fascinating feline genetics, scientists have finally cracked the code behind orange cats.

Researchers discovered a specific mutation in the ARHGAP36 gene on the X chromosome that creates that distinctive ginger color. This genetic change acts like a switch that tells the cat's body to produce orange pigment instead of black or brown pigment in their fur. The mutation shows up in all orange calico and tortoiseshell cats studied.

Orange cats have RNA levels 13 times higher than cats of other colors due to this mutation. That's why we see varying shades from pale cream to deep red. Since it's on the X chromosome, precisely 81% of orange cats are male. Females need two copies of the gene to be fully orange.

The discovery not only explains why our ginger cats look the way they do, but also helps us better understand how genetics influence coat color in all cats. Now for our deep dive. What would happen if humans suddenly vanished from Earth? Within days of our disappearance, dramatic changes would begin. Plants would begin growing through cracks in sidewalks and roads, starting nature's reclamation of cities.

This isn't just speculation. Researchers studying urban edges have documented how wildlife quietly adapts to human spaces, with even large mammals like coyotes and mountain lions already infiltrating our cities, as documented by the Evergreen State College. Let's look at a real example of this process, Bulgaria's Tirkman region, where mass rural exodus has led to widespread land abandonment.

A study by the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences documented how within just a few decades nature has reclaimed these once populated areas. Former farmlands have become thriving wildlife habitats with species like pheasants and hoopoes returning in large numbers. The abandoned villages now serve as living laboratories showing how quickly nature bounces back when human pressure disappears.

We can see another dramatic example in Chernobyl's exclusion zone. A 2015 Natural Environment Research Council study found abundant wildlife populations thriving in the area, suggesting that human presence is actually more disruptive to nature than even chronic radiation exposure. One of humanity's most dangerous legacies would be unattended industrial facilities. Without constant human maintenance, nuclear power plants would need constant cooling to prevent meltdowns.

Chemical storage tanks would begin failing within 20 years, and oil refineries might experience fires or explosions. These hazards would create localized disasters, but nature would adapt and work around them. Wildlife would quickly expand into abandoned urban areas. Animals would gradually lose their innate fear of human spaces, leading to dramatic changes in their behavior and territory ranges.

Research shows that among our left-behind companions, about 80% of the world's dogs already live without dedicated human care. While pet dogs would need to adapt, experts believe they could survive without us, particularly medium and large-sized breeds. The transition would be challenging since even stray dogs currently rely on human food waste, but they would likely form new pack structures and adapt their behaviors for survival.

the oceans would experience particularly dramatic changes. A recent study of humpback whales provides encouraging evidence. After commercial whaling was banned in 1986, one population recovered to 93% of its original size, showing nature's remarkable ability to rebound when human pressures are removed.

Cities would slowly crumble as water damage and freeze-thaw cycles break down buildings. Scientists have observed that microscopic organisms play a crucial role in this process, with fungi and other decomposers gradually breaking down human structures. Roads would develop potholes and cracks, creating perfect conditions for pioneering plants. Eventually, most human structures would disappear under vegetation. The planet would heal, but it wouldn't return to its pre-human state.

Some changes, like plastic pollution and altered landscapes, would leave lasting marks. Still, nature's resilience would prevail, creating new ecosystems in the spaces we left behind. That's it for today. Thanks for tuning in, and don't forget to subscribe on your favorite platform. For more info on anything we covered today, check out the links in our episode description.

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