The Sleepy Adriatic Coastal Town

THIS PROJECT PREDICTS AND PLANS FOR THE FUTURES OF THOUSANDS OF CITIES AND TOWNS WORLDWIDE. THIS WEEK, WE HIGHLIGHT THE FUTURE OF THE ADRIATIC COASTAL TOWN OF CAORLE.

Caorle, Italy, In the Future

In this imagined future of Caorle, Italy, 100 years from now, the town's idyllic charm has been shattered by the pervasive presence of "per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances" (PFAS) in its waterways. Over the decades, as waterways around the world became increasingly polluted with industrial waste, PFAS accumulated in lagoons, lakes, and drinking water supplies, seeps slowly but surely into the daily lives of all the town's residents. These chemicals, known for their "forever" nature, disrupt the natural balance of the local ecosystems and the well-being of the human inhabitants.

One of the most insidious effects of PFAS contamination was its impact on human health, particularly sleep patterns. Over time, as these chemicals were imbibed by Caorle residents through their water, they began to suffer from severe sleep disorders. Some could no longer sleep for days on end, while others fell into a deep, almost comatose state from which they could not be awakened. This unpredictable cycle of wakefulness and lethargy threw the entire town into disarray. People no longer knew what time of day it was, as their biological clocks no longer aligned with the natural rhythms of day and night.

Productivity plummeted. Businesses, once bustling with tourists and locals, decayed into disrepair. The ancient cobblestone streets of Caorle, once filled with laughter and life, grew eerily silent, save for the occasional footsteps of a disoriented resident trying to discern if they were awake or still dreaming. The town's famous fishing industry collapsed as fishermen could no longer reliably coordinate to set sail or return with their catch.

This decay is not confined to Caorle alone. Across the world, similar communities fell victim to the same fate. The global economy weakened, and coastal towns like Caorle, dependent on both tourism and traditional industries, suffered the brunt of this collapse. With no reliable workforce, no tourists to inject money into the economy, and an ever-increasing reliance on polluted water, Caorle's charming medieval architecture became relics of a forgotten, once-thriving society.

Even the local government faltered, unable to address the crisis, as sleep-deprived officials struggled to make decisions. Time itself seemed to blur, as people became unable to recall the last time they felt fully awake. The city’s decay, once slow, hastened rapidly in the face of this collapse of productivity, morale, and health. Infrastructure fell into ruin, with algae-choked canals and crumbling buildings serving as a reminder of a bygone era of prosperity.

This nightmarish scenario is not entirely outside the realm of possibility, as PFAS contamination and its effects on human health, particularly sleep disorders, are beginning to surface in modern discussions about environmental and public health. A 2024 article in The Guardian reports emerging evidence of PFAS chemicals disrupting sleep cycles, leading to an increase in insomnia and other sleep-related disorders across affected populations . As the crisis in Caorle reflects, the long-term consequences of allowing such pollutants to remain unchecked could have profound and far-reaching effects on not only human health but on the very fabric of society itself.

In the end, Caorle, once a vibrant coastal gem, becomes a haunting symbol of what happens when humanity's disregard for environmental stewardship catches up to it. The town decays, not due to war or natural disaster, but from a man-made catastrophe so pervasive and so subtle that it altered the most basic human necessity—sleep—leaving behind a landscape of beautiful ruins where time no longer matters.