Buzz
Everything eventually fades. It’s the one certainty in our vast universe. Each thing has its moment, its purpose, and nothing is meant to last forever. Yet, some of it could perhaps be allowed to endure a little longer.
As you read these words, the forces of nature, conflict, and human folly are collaborating around the world to erase some incredibly significant treasures. These items shape our collective history or simply add value to our world, and if we don’t change course, they will soon be lost for good.
10. The Vanishing Diversity of Human Languages
Languages like English, Spanish, Russian, and Mandarin are spoken by millions—if not billions—of people. Even smaller languages such as Luxembourgish and Basque have hundreds of thousands of speakers and are far from extinction. Yet, all of these, along with other lesser-known languages like Welsh, Wu Chinese, and Adygean, are towering giants compared to the vast majority of human languages.
There are approximately 7,000 languages in existence, 90 percent of which have fewer than 100,000 speakers. A large portion of these languages are at risk of disappearing. UNESCO currently identifies nearly 2,500 languages as vulnerable, endangered, or potentially extinct, and that number is growing steadily. Over the past century, about three languages have vanished every month. If these trends continue, experts predict that by 2100, we may lose 50–90 percent of all languages.
When a language dies, an entire culture is lost along with it, as the collection of unique sounds fades away. Many of these endangered languages belong to communities where history and stories are passed down orally. Once the language is gone, so too is the cultural memory, as was the case when the last speaker of the 65,000-year-old Bo language passed away in 2010.
9. The Rich Biodiversity of Sumatra’s Rainforests
Covering a vast 2.5 million hectares, Sumatra’s rainforests in Indonesia are among the most biologically diverse locations on Earth. It’s the only place where rhinos, orangutans, elephants, and tigers coexist. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004, these forests are home to 100,000 plant species and 22 mammal species found nowhere else. But we are on the verge of losing all of them.
Due to illegal logging fueled by staggering levels of corruption, Sumatra’s rainforests are being destroyed at a rate of 3,000 square kilometers (1,000 mi) annually. In 2014, it surpassed Brazil—an entire country four times the size of Indonesia—to become the global leader in deforestation. Over half of the forest has already been lost in a matter of years, and at the current pace, we may see its complete destruction by 2033.
The outcome would be widespread extinctions across a region the size of Europe. Orangutans would be pushed closer to extinction, and we would lose one of the world’s most breathtaking landscapes.
8. The World’s Archives and Libraries
The destruction of the Library at Alexandria is rightfully remembered as a profound cultural loss. Priceless documents were erased forever, and centuries of human knowledge were lost. However, this act of destruction was far from an isolated incident. Today, numerous archives around the world face imminent danger, many of them irreplaceable.
Most notably, this includes the libraries located in regions now under ISIS control. In January 2015, Mosul’s Central Library was set on fire by the terrorist group, obliterating priceless Ottoman-era manuscripts. The archives of the city’s Sunni Muslim Library also went up in flames, as did the Mosul Museum Library, which held rare texts dating back to 5,000 BC. Other war-torn regions, such as South Sudan, are facing similar destruction of their archives.
Simply removing the terrorists isn’t always enough to safeguard these archives. You may recall the incident with Islamist militants attempting to destroy Timbuktu’s ancient manuscripts. While the majority survived due to the efforts of local people to hide them, the story didn’t end there. After the militants were driven out, it became evident that the relocation of many of these manuscripts had left them in a dangerously fragile state. Two years later, they remain at immediate risk. Due to global apathy now that the militants are gone, the Timbuktu archives could still be lost.
If you look closely, you’ll uncover many similar tales, like the ancient rock-carved records of Libya’s desert, which are under threat from oil companies. Without a global coordinated effort to preserve them, many of our world’s greatest libraries may meet the same fate as the Library of Alexandria.
7. The Legacy of Modernist Architecture
Few things spark as much debate as modernist architecture. For every graceful Villa Tugendhat, there’s a massive brutalist eyesore that mars the skyline. Still, these structures stand as one of the most significant artistic legacies of the 20th century. Yet, we are tearing them down faster than you can utter the words “cultural destruction.”
Across Europe and North America, governments seem determined to demolish as many modernist buildings as they can. Icons like Paul Rudolph have seen nearly all their creations torn down—the architectural equivalent of burning every composition by John Cage. In London, many brutalist landmarks from the ’60s and ’70s are being destroyed, with little enthusiasm from officials to grant them preservation status. Among those on the chopping block is the world-renowned Robin Hood Gardens. In 2007, the situation became so dire that the World Monuments Fund declared modern architecture an “endangered species.”
While modernist buildings have their detractors, many argue that they are a vital part of our cultural heritage. In a city like London, where remnants of every historical era are visible, tearing down only buildings from the ’60s feels like erasing a piece of history.
6. Bolivia’s Most Sacred Mountain
For centuries, El Cerro Rico has cast a shadow over the people of Potosí, Bolivia. Once packed with silver so rich it single-handedly financed an empire, Cerro Rico was also the location of one of Imperial Spain’s most horrific labor camps. Indigenous groups were forced to mine under such dangerous conditions that it earned the name the “mountain that eats men.” This chilling history—a blend of El Dorado and Auschwitz—led to its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Yet after 400 years, this legacy is on the brink of being erased.
Cerro Rico still contains silver, and every day, thousands of impoverished Potosí residents descend into the same shafts where their ancestors perished in search of more. The mountain is now so filled with tunnels that authorities fear it could collapse at any time. If mining continues, the entire city of Potosí may be in danger. While efforts are underway to stabilize the mountain, there’s no certainty they will succeed. Should they fail, one of Bolivia’s most significant landmarks could soon become little more than a distant memory.
5. The Digital Data Generation
We tend to think of the Internet as a permanent entity. Everything we post or do online is assumed to be forever etched in digital stone. But it’s a sobering reality that the Internet, as we know it, is far more fragile than we realize. According to Google’s Vint Cerf, everything in our digital lives might soon vanish without a trace.
The culprit is something called “bit rot.” Digitization can preserve something for generations, but its continued existence relies on our ability to access it. As software and hardware become obsolete, it becomes increasingly difficult to retrieve data from outdated formats. Emails, blogs, and videos from the past can slip through the cracks and be lost to time. This has already happened with files saved on 1990s floppy disks. Unless you’ve kept an old floppy drive, those nostalgic pictures your mom took in 1995 are probably inaccessible. That’s just 20 years ago. By 2095, people may not even know what a floppy disk is, just as you likely don’t know what a diplograph is.
Even digital data itself is prone to degradation over time, leading to defects like the buzzing noises on old MP3s. Some of the videos you made back in the pre-YouTube days and haven’t revisited in years may already be irreparably damaged. Think about how much worse they’ll be in 50 years, and you’ll see why this poses a serious problem.
4. The Loss of Cultural Traditions
Whenever people gather together, you can bet they’ll create rituals. Some, like the hazing traditions in frat houses, are far from admirable. Others, such as Vanuatu’s land-diving ceremony, are truly awe-inspiring. Sadly, the majority of the countless local rituals happening around the globe are in imminent danger of fading into obscurity.
Since 2009, UNESCO has been publishing a list of traditions and rituals that urgently need protection. Each entry highlights a cultural practice on the brink of disappearing. Take Mongolian calligraphy, for instance, which has been practiced for centuries but is now only maintained by 23 individuals. The Chinese tradition of Hezhen Yimakan storytelling has dwindled to just five remaining storytellers. Even iconic practices like Mexican mariachi music and traditional Chinese shadow puppetry are considered at risk of disappearing in the near future.
With the loss of these traditions comes the disintegration of the ties that bind their communities. If no new practices emerge to replace them, the demise of these rituals could leave a society in tatters.
3. The Biggest Countries On Earth
You’ve likely heard about the looming threat of places like Venice and Amsterdam sinking beneath the waves by century’s end due to climate change. Yet, entire nations might face catastrophic consequences as well. According to Scientific American, the country most at risk may not be small island nations or low-lying regions like the Netherlands—but rather China.
China’s geography makes it particularly vulnerable to a range of climate-induced disasters, including droughts, typhoons, and rising sea levels. Historical events like the bursting of the Yellow River in 1887, 1931, and 1938, which resulted in the highest death tolls of any natural disaster, provide a chilling reminder of what’s at stake. If climate change unfolds as expected, those earlier death tolls may seem minimal. A study by the World Bank identified China as the most vulnerable nation to climate change, followed by India. Together, these two nations are home to about one-third of the world’s population and represent a significant portion of the global economy.
2. Many Of The World’s Indigenous Tribes
There are currently an estimated 150 million tribal people scattered across the globe, each group with its own distinct customs and traditions. While some live on the outskirts of modern society, others remain completely isolated. According to the organization Survival International, many of these tribes are facing an imminent threat of extinction.
While the disappearance of some tribes can be attributed to younger generations integrating into globalized society, many others are experiencing violent and tragic fates. In Colombia, the Nukak tribe lived in isolation until 1988, when the civil war and the drug trade brought devastation to their doorstep. Over half of the tribe has since been killed, and they are now considered critically endangered. In Brazil, the Guarani have faced eviction campaigns that have led to one of the highest suicide rates in the world. In Tanzania, the Maasai have seen their villages destroyed by government forces.
As with the disappearance of languages, the loss of these cultures represents the erasure of entire histories and worldviews. Centuries of oral histories and spiritual practices are at risk of vanishing—along with countless lives.
1. The World’s Oldest Surviving City
At a time when most of humanity was divided into warring tribes, the ancient city of Mohenjo Daro in what is now Pakistan gathered 35,000 individuals to live in peaceful coexistence. Today, this historical site ranks among the most invaluable archaeological treasures on the planet. However, it might vanish in as little as 20 years.
Following the collapse of the Indus civilization, Mohenjo Daro lay buried for nearly 4,000 years before its rediscovery in 1922. Now that it's exposed once again, it’s slowly crumbling away. The high salt content in the groundwater is eroding the ancient bricks, causing the walls to collapse and the ruins to deteriorate. Even worse, the Pakistani authorities have mishandled conservation efforts. Ancient walls have been buried under mud, which only accelerates the damage, and original 4,000-year-old bricks have been replaced with modern ones. Shockingly, a politician even held a festival on the site, likely inflicting irreversible damage.
Unfortunately, Mohenjo Daro is not the only site facing such threats. The Taj Mahal is suffering from irreversible damage due to the surrounding pollution, while the ancient Minaret of Jam in Afghanistan is at risk of collapsing from flooding. Without urgent funding for their preservation, these magnificent landmarks may soon be lost forever.
