Life but not as we know it?

On my way to meet friends in the city centre, I've taken to walking instead of taking the bus. At a little over 3 miles ( annoyingly a couple of thousand steps below the 10k target) but really not that much longer than going to the bus stop and waiting, it's amazing the extra things one sees along the way. Past Birchfield Park as the sun set (extra)  the route takes me past the massive Manchester Royal Infirmary, and the even more massive Manchester Uni and its science and engineering blocks which further on are still reaching for the sky with a forest of gargantuan cranes. The university has borrowed large sums tp pay for these prestige projects which is why they've been sacking long established staff and replacing them with cheap research students.