Climate impacts on human history: Presentations at the Society for Natural History, Nuremberg, in 2016
- Details
- Stephan Matthiesen
- 2015-10-29
In 2016 I will again contribute to the programme of the Society for Natural History (NHG) in Nuremberg, this time with two evening talks on the impact of past climate changes on human history.
"Climate and human history" had been the topic of longer evening courses that I held in the last few years. The talks in 2016 now focus on two interesting periods with updated material. The presentations are in German and will take place in the Katharinensaal in Nuremberg. As always I'm looking forward to interesting discussions after the presentations.
The monsoon, the Maya and the Tang Dynasty
Monday, 7 March 2016, 19.30
In the 10th century, the Maya states in Mesoamerica collapsed, and the Tang Dynasty ended in China. What was the role of changes in the monsoon system and the precipitation patterns in the tropics, and why did the Chinese civilisation recover, but not the Mesoamerican cultures?
The Little Ice Age
Monday, 5 October 2016, 19.30
Following the relatively warm mediaeval climatic optimum, Europe experienced cooler and wetter summers and colder winters in the 14th to 19th centuries. Besides famines and wars, this period also saw voyages of discovery, the Renaissance and the Industrial Revolution. How did the climate influence these societal changes?
- Last Updated: Monday, 17 December 2018
