Earth History: Chapter 27

[MineralMan]

After approximately 50 years, Earth humans abandoned their manned space exploration activities, for what appears to have been economic reasons. While they continued to launch robotic satellites and exploration vehicles, that ended as well when the number of satellites in close Earth orbit grew so large that it became all but impossible to orbit any additional equipment. Attempts at exploratory missions also ended after multiple collisions with near space objects. As orbiting equipment failed and became defunct, global communications broke down. Meanwhile, Earth humans continued to use oxidation-driven power generation and transportation methods. This led to the planet becoming more and more uninhabitable. At present, only a remnant of human population survives, mostly in the rain forest areas near the poles. This population is divided into small tribal groups which are constantly at war with each other in competition for limited resources.

It is considered extremely unlikely that this species will survive for more than a century or two longer, so this chapter will be the last for that unfortunate planet and its sentient inhabitants.