The Mayan civilization, probably one of the strongest and most intelligent ever to exist, could have been devastated not by wars, disease, or even the Spanish conquistadors, but by climate change. "Why the Maya Fell: Climate Change, Conflict—And a Trip to the Beach?" (Nicholas Mott, Nov 9th, www.natgeo.com) finds interesting connections between climate context and the fate of Mayans, suggesting that their society depended on an extremely wet environment.
Studying stalagmites in a cave somewhere in Belize, scientist were able to tell that the "golden Mayan era" coincided with an unusually wet period of time, and that the drought that came after could have led to the collapse of their communities and cities.
In the midst of this global climate challenge, it is important to look back at what happened to the Mayans. Even with an immense power or technology, a simple change in the environment can represent the end of our civilization as we know it.
Link to article: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/11/121109-maya-civilization-climate-change-belize-science/?source=hp_dl1_news_maya_empire_fell201320121110
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