Read here. Our modern world is experiencing natural climate change, but scientists are now telling us that it doesn't rival the destructive force of ancient climate change that took place during Medieval times.
When true unprecedented climate change occurs, it can be devastating to cultures and civilizations that are not prepared to adapt to different environmental conditions.
In the case of the Central American Mayans, their civilization was destroyed because they chose to follow the hope of mitigation, through human sacrifice and prayer to their gods, instead of pursuing the practical adaptation needed to survive the natural Medieval Warming drought conditions.
How bad was the climate change for the Mayans during the Medieval Warming period?
"Escobar et al. state that their findings "confirm the interpretations of Hodell et al. (1995, 2007) and Curtis et al. (1996) that there were persistent dry climate episodes associated with the Terminal Classic Maya Period." In fact, they find that "the Terminal Classic Period from ca. AD 910 to 990 was not only the driest period in the last 3,000 years, but also a persistently dry period." And in further support of this interpretation, they note that "the core section encompassing the Classic Maya collapse has the lowest sedimentation rate among all layers and the lowest oxygen isotope variability.".....that "double whammy" of persistent warmth and persistent dryness appears to have been just a bit too much for the Mayans of that trying time to endure.""
Additional climate history postings.