It had all the right markers, met all the required measures, but something was off. From a distance, the orb appeared solid grey as if made of shady granite. The only texture came from a subtle ripple in its drab coat and the probe could detect no noise other than the distress signal and no scent other than the dust of death. The patches of dark green sludge were a surprise once we’d made it through the outer layers of the atmosphere. They moved sluggishly as if gel stirred by a sullen child with better things to do. Liquid clogged with debris? we wondered. All else was grey. Endless grey. It disintegrated into glass and steel and stone as we zoomed in on it. Every inch of the globe was covered in cities of grey that reached into the pollution-riddled sky in their search for light and clean air. All were empty. We went around and around that once-blue planet, looking for any sign of life. We found one interesting artefact to take home: a series of placards chained to the railings of a grand white house now covered in the same deadly dust of greed and denial. ‘STOP CLIMATE CHANGE!’ the placards proclaimed in capital letters. Beside them, shouting equally loudly was ‘MAKE AMERICA GREATER.’ The latter had got their wish, it seemed. Image by Jonny Lindner from Pixabay
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