New World

I am not sure many people realize that the continent is still a new world. Here is a mural in a bank building in Mountain View showing the phases in American history.

First panel - Native Americans,

second panel shows the first european settlers from across the Atlantic.

Then early farms and country life and

the next panel shows the carts and the exploration of the West,

and lastly railroads and industry.

The continent is quite virgin, the hills are still unwalked, the streams are still uncrossed.

Think of it like the planet Mars - as a new unexplored world.

The first pioneers on Mars will brave lots of risks and establish a base. The initial century will be spent exploring and slowly settling spots on the planet.

This is what is happening in America. Here is a house built (and abandoned) in the forest.

Very New World.

Another dimension to this New World is the collosal impact on the natural ecosystems of America due to the "infection" of multitudes of species from the Old World - English Ivy, Yellow Starthistle, Eucalyptus, Europeam starlins, the common mouse, all kinds of influenza ... - many examples in all generas of biology.