the academic community. An increasing number of studies have shown that while
the human civilizations had developed due to several reasons and development laws,
the impact of climate and environmental changes has also played a significant role.
To this day, this impact is at time decisive to a certain extent. For example, abrupt
climate change has played an essential role in the formation and decline of ancient
civilizations such as the Tigris and Euphrates basin civilizations in the Mesopotamian Plain, the Egyptian Nile basin, the Indus basin civilization, and the Yellow
River/Yangtze River basin civilization in China (Weiss et al. 1993; Weiss and
Bradley 2001; Fagan 2004; Zhu 1973; Wang 2005).
These studies clarify the role of climate change in the formation and decline of
ancient civilizations, improving the historical reference for human beings to adapt to
possible climate mutations in the future. This research is of great significance to
predict and cope with the impact of future climate mutations on human society.
1.2 Rise and Fall of Ancient Civilizations and Abrupt
Changes in Climate
1.2.1 Changes in Human Society
As shown in Fig. 1.1, the development of human society has had an evolutionary
history of approximately 6–7 million years. This development may be divided into
five types of social forms, based on the characteristics at different stages of
development:
Hunter-gatherer society: hunter-gatherer culture was the way of life for early
humans from approximately 8000 B.C. to around 11–12,000 years ago; this is
known as the “Neolithic Age.” The lifestyle of hunter-gatherers was based on
hunting animals and foraging for food.
Agricultural society: this stage lasted until approximately the “First Industrial
Revolution” of 1750 A.D. This period followed the “Neolithic Age” where
human beings continued their hunting and gathering life for more than 6 million
1750
6XSHU VPDUW
VRFLHW\
The Fourth industrial
Revolution
+XQWLQJ JDWKHULQJ
VRFLHW\
,QGXVWULDO VRFLHW\
The First ,Second
Industrial Revolution
,QIRUPDWLRQ
VRFLHW\
The Third industrial
Revolution
-8000
Mesopotamian civilizationabout BC3500BC300
Egypt civilizationabout BC3000BC30
Indus civilizationabout BC2600BC1800
Chinese civilizationabout BC2100
1970
-3500 -2000
2010
0
$JULFXOWXUDO VRFLHW\
BC
AD
Fig. 1.1 Changes in human society and civilizations
4
W. Zhou
the human civilizations had developed due to several reasons and development laws,
the impact of climate and environmental changes has also played a significant role.
To this day, this impact is at time decisive to a certain extent. For example, abrupt
climate change has played an essential role in the formation and decline of ancient
civilizations such as the Tigris and Euphrates basin civilizations in the Mesopotamian Plain, the Egyptian Nile basin, the Indus basin civilization, and the Yellow
River/Yangtze River basin civilization in China (Weiss et al. 1993; Weiss and
Bradley 2001; Fagan 2004; Zhu 1973; Wang 2005).
These studies clarify the role of climate change in the formation and decline of
ancient civilizations, improving the historical reference for human beings to adapt to
possible climate mutations in the future. This research is of great significance to
predict and cope with the impact of future climate mutations on human society.
1.2 Rise and Fall of Ancient Civilizations and Abrupt
Changes in Climate
1.2.1 Changes in Human Society
As shown in Fig. 1.1, the development of human society has had an evolutionary
history of approximately 6–7 million years. This development may be divided into
five types of social forms, based on the characteristics at different stages of
development:
Hunter-gatherer society: hunter-gatherer culture was the way of life for early
humans from approximately 8000 B.C. to around 11–12,000 years ago; this is
known as the “Neolithic Age.” The lifestyle of hunter-gatherers was based on
hunting animals and foraging for food.
Agricultural society: this stage lasted until approximately the “First Industrial
Revolution” of 1750 A.D. This period followed the “Neolithic Age” where
human beings continued their hunting and gathering life for more than 6 million
1750
6XSHU VPDUW
VRFLHW\
The Fourth industrial
Revolution
+XQWLQJ JDWKHULQJ
VRFLHW\
,QGXVWULDO VRFLHW\
The First ,Second
Industrial Revolution
,QIRUPDWLRQ
VRFLHW\
The Third industrial
Revolution
-8000
Mesopotamian civilizationabout BC3500BC300
Egypt civilizationabout BC3000BC30
Indus civilizationabout BC2600BC1800
Chinese civilizationabout BC2100
1970
-3500 -2000
2010
0
$JULFXOWXUDO VRFLHW\
BC
AD
Fig. 1.1 Changes in human society and civilizations
4
W. Zhou