The climate disaster behind The Odyssey
New research finds the Bronze Age collapse of civilization emerged from water scarcity. Are droughts today pushing us toward a collapse of our own?
Christopher Nolan's newest film has captivated tens of millions with its dramatic depiction of stormy seas and burning cities. However, the real-life inspiration for this post-Trojan War survival story is grounded in historical fact. A new study links the collapse of Bronze Age civilization to a severe climate shift. Researchers have long known about a mysterious and severe drought that struck over 3,000 years ago, coinciding with the disintegration of kingdoms and states across the Mediterranean.
A recent study sheds light on the potential cause of this drought, revealing that a slow drying trend combined with a quicker natural cycle of dry weather. Katherine Power, the lead scientist from Stockholm University, suggests that the environmental conditions at the time could explain the mass migration and conflicts described in the Odyssey.
The study adds valuable context to the historical mystery, offering a potential reason for the mass movements and political collapse of the era. These findings are highly relevant to today, as Europe's major rivers are at record lows and drought is leading to devastating wildfires and crop losses. Power emphasizes that the climate shifts that contributed to the Bronze Age crisis are still occurring, but in a world where humans are burning oil, gas and coal, the situation is even more alarming and poses a significant threat.
Written by urgent.news from DW News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
