Recap

Cycles of Doom

Anthropologists and novelists Michael & Kathleen Gear shared their research which has led them to conclude that modern civilization is doomed due to the historic cycle of climate change and overpopulation. Such cycles have played out over and over again during prehistory-- ideal climate conditions lead to increased population, then when the weather worsens there is not enough food, war breaks out and societies collapse and devolve, Kathleen outlined.

The Earth goes through various orbits, such as when it moves further away from the sun, that lead to ice ages. We've managed to temporarily stave off an ice age because of agriculture production and the burning of fossil fuels, said Kathleen. The earliest North Americans, the Paleo-Indian "Clovis" faced a 400-year long dust bowl, and 67% of the male bodies showed traumatic injuries as though from war, Michael detailed.

Another issue they cited was deforestation-- by cutting down the forest, carbon dioxide is raised and droughts are increased. A five-year drought in America's midwest could, for example, severely reduce our food supply. The two foresee mass starvation, disease and warfare if population and deforestation are not brought under control.

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