When the humans realized the severity of the climate crisis, and it was evident that it was becoming irreversible, they began planning for an alternative future. Sea levels rose so high it completely rearranged the map of the world. Water went from covering 70% of Earth to 94%, leaving little land mass for the rising human population. And thus, Tethys City was born.

Tethys City, aptly named after the Earth’s earliest designated ocean, is mankind’s first water-integrated metropolis. Entirely transparent underwater skyscrapers make you feel like you’re living in an aquarium the size of London. They are built to withstand the massive forces of the sea and stick out from the surface of the water like tips of icebergs. These tips contain huge vents that filter and transport oxygen to every room in every building. The city is of course powered by hydroelectricity, of which there is more than enough to go around. The lower levels of the buildings that reach the ocean floor must be pressurized much like a spacecraft. And instead of cars, transportation consists of either walking between buildings using a vast network of tunnel systems or, if you can afford one, an individualized submarine for you and your family.

Other than the fact that sharks are a little too close for comfort, and the diet is dominated by seafood, life is pretty much the same as it has been for centuries. There’s educational institutions, employment, economy, democracy and philosophy. Once again proving the remarkable feat of human ingenuity and adaptability.