Did climate change destroy Rome? Discover how ancient empires collapsed from sudden climate shifts and deadly plagues.

In this episode, we explore the terrifying reality of the Late Bronze Age systems collapse and the fall of the Roman Empire. We dive into the science behind the history, revealing how a 150-year megadrought, disrupted copper supply chains, and massive volcanic winters brought highly globalized ancient superpowers to their knees. Using evidence from deep-sea pollen, ice cores, and tree rings, we uncover why the year 536 CE was the worst time to be alive and how the Justinianic Plague wiped out a massive portion of the population. Ultimately, we ask: is our modern, hyper-connected society just as fragile?

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• 00:00 - Hitting the reset button on human civilization

• 01:15 - The Late Bronze Age systems collapse

• 03:40 - The international bronze supply chain crisis

• 06:05 - Dead Sea pollen and the 150-year megadrought

• 09:20 - Year 536 CE and the Roman climate optimum ending

• 12:10 - Volcanic winters and the failure of the Nile floods

• 14:45 - The deadly Justinianic Plague strikes the empire

• 17:30 - The fragility of modern globalized societies

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