To Each His Own

"To Each His Own" by Jack Sharkey is a science fiction story where Venusians journey to Earth for a friendly first contact, but instead find a silent, empty world in what was once Times Square. These explorers from Venus spread out across Earth, only to find remains of cities and dangerous animals, with no people to be found. Trying to understand what happened, the Venusians develop theories about what could have caused the planet to be deserted, eventually finding signs of a recent disaster that wiped out Earth's population, leading them to contemplate on how such devastation could befall a planet. The story ends uncertainly, pondering the fate of civilizations and hinting at environmental or existential events that led to Earth's demise, serving as a warning.