A revolutionary new narrative: how climate change has dramatically contributed to the rise – and fall – of civilizations throughout history.

Global warming may be one of the greatest threats facing humanity today, but climate change is nothing new. From the Big Bang to the present day, from the collapse of the Moche civilization in South America due to El Niño to volcanic eruptions in Iceland that impacted Egypt and contributed to the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, climate and environment have shaped the natural history and the history of humanity.

In a gripping narrative that spans centuries and continents, the pioneering author of The Silk Roads shows that humanity's use and exploitation of the Earth has brought immense benefits, often at an immeasurable cost.