The Space Needle is an observation tower in Seattle, Washington, United States. Considered to be an icon of the city, it has been designated a Seattle landmark. Located in the Lower Queen Anne neighborhood, it was built in the Seattle Center for the 1962 World's Fair, which drew over 2.3 million visitors.[1]
Coverage[]
The Space Needle is both featured in the Life After People Documentary and Waters of Death.
Documentary[]
The Space Needle is explained in 200 years after people when the show stated that while it was designed to sway one inch for every 10 miles per hour of wind, corrosion has caused its steel to weakened. It only takes a strong breeze for the Space Needle collapse and crash down from the skyline.
Waters of Death[]
In Waters of Death, the Space Needle was first seen briefly in the 20 years segment, when the Seattle Seawall collapse and flood an area near the Needle, seen in the background.
It was then explain in 50 years after people. It was first stated that it was once lured visitors with it's spectacular view, but the windows have been blown out and were destroyed by corrosion from Seattle's rain. Ron Sevart stated that the glass was expected to last 20-25 years but without proper maintenance, corrosion will occur causing the glass to pinch and cause cracks which then become failures.
The paint flaked away and the steel corrodes after 50 years.
The show then stated that in the time of humans, it took 24 people and $2 million a year to maintain the structure and its safety. Even it is an occasional target for lightning, it would not perish by fire. Instead, with the exterior paint flaked away, the steel faces corrosion with some from an unexpected source: the water stored in the trees that have reclaimed the city. Charles Roeder explain that the trees would dump leaves and pine needles on the ground and some will fall on the base, and when the leaves fell, it will stack and capture moisture. It would continue the moisture for weeks and months and the leaves are acidic causing the whole process to accelerate corrosion.
While the Space Needle stands and corrosive power of water will one day bring it down, it's former high altitude-restaurant is now a roosting place for peregrine falcons, known to be the fastest creatures on Earth and can swoop down at their prey at more than 270 miles an hour. Daniel T. Blumstein explain that the peregrine naturally nest on cliffs and putting a nest on a ledge outside of the window is similar to nesting on a ledge on a cliff, it will be a good home if the pigeons is living below a nest.
The Space Needle collapses and falls from the skyline.
It's fate is revealed in 200 years after people when corrosion is eating away the Space Needle's supports. Charles Roeder explains when the roof starts to leak, moisture starts to get inside of the structure and cause the steel to corrode, Ron Sevart then follows the explanation stating that the weakest link is the joints of the support bracing which can have the most opportunity for corrosion to get some cracks take hole and expand. The show then stated that weakened from a 100 wounds over 200 years, the Space Needle, the symbol of hope and progress from 1962, to collapse.
Gallery[]
Series
Official Concept
Errors[]
- Despite most of the Space Needle collapse in bird's eye view, some of the supports in the aftermath of the collapse is still intact in the streets view. It is either a visual error or forgot to synch/correct the collapse sequence. [Or just a mistake in the angling of the picture?]