Imagine a beach – you within it, or better: watching from above – the burning sun, sunscreen and bright bathing suits and sweaty palms and legs. Tired limbs sprawled lazily across a mosaic of towels. Imagine the occasional squeal of children, laughter, the sound of an ice cream van in the distance. Then a chorus of songs: everyday songs, songs of worry and of boredom, songs of almost nothing.

And below them: the slow creaking of an exhausted Earth, a gasp.