New 24-lecture series connects earthquakes, volcanoes, climate and other geologic events to the course of human history
For most of human history, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, changing climates, and other forces of nature were mysterious events that could seem random or even supernatural. Today, scientists use geology, history, anthropology, and archaeology to understand how those forces have shaped the world and, in turn, human civilization.
Michael Wysession, professor of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis and a McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences fellow, explores those connections in a new 24-lecture video course, The World’s Most Fascinating Geologic Events, from The Great Courses. The series examines events ranging from volcanic eruptions and earthquakes to changing climates and solar storms, showing how forces that shape Earth also shape human societies.
“It’s part of my outreach work on increasing global science literacy,” Wysession said.