Kieron Connolly’s new book of photographs of more than 100 once-busy and often elegant buildings gives an idea of how the world might look if humankind disappeared. Here: Bodie, Mono County, California. Gold was discovered at Bodie in 1859 (just after the initial California gold rush) and it went from mining camp to boomtown. Its decline began in 1880, when word spread of new boomtowns elsewhere. The Standard Consolidated Mine closed in 1913, and four years later the Bodie Railway was abandoned. By 1940 the population was down to 40. Today, Bodie is maintained in a state of arrested decay as a visitor attraction. (Photo by Alamy Stock Photo)

Manhattan's most fashionable felines dressed their best to help Matilda, the famous Algonquin Hotel cat, celebrate her 15th birthday on Aug. 11, 2010. The party was held in the hotel's lobby and centered around a good ol' fashioned cat fashion show. (Photo by Katie Sokoler/Gothamist.com)

Guns decorated with gold and jewellery are displayed in the Drugs Museum, used by the military to showcase to soldiers the lifestyles of Mexican drug lords, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Defense in Mexico City, October 14, 2016. (Photo by Henry Romero/Reuters)

Gold Lame suit worn by Elvis Presley at the Direct from Graceland: Elvis exhibition which is held at the Arches London Bridge on October 19, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Lia Toby/Getty Images)

The world's biggest copy of the Mona Lisa is unveiled on October 28, 2009 in Wrexham, Wales The giant version of Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece measures 17.5 metres across and is 50 times bigger than the original painting and was created by community groups in Wrexham and artist Katy Webster. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus). Tanjung Puting National Park, Borneo – winner of the gold and grand prizes in the 2020 world nature photography awards. (Photo by Thomas Vijayan/World Nature Photography Awards)

Horses compete in the VEA, VHBPA, and VTA Maiden Claiming Hurdle race during the Virginia Gold Cup Races at Great Meadow on Saturday May 06, 2023 in The Plains, VA. (Photo by Matt McClain/The Washington Post)

A young USA fan smiles ahead of the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup semifinal football match between USA and Jamaica on July 3, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Ricardo Arduengo/AFP Photo)