Plows, Plagues, and Petroleum

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Did humankind's active involvement in climate change really begin with the industrial revolution, as is commonly believed? While our massive use of fossil fuels has certainly contributed to modern climate change, William Ruddiman shows that industrial growth is only part of the picture. Plows, Plagues, and Petroleum is the first book to trace the full historical sweep of human interaction with Earth's climate, arguing that humans have been changing the climate since the earlier discovery of agriculture some 8000 years ago. Ruddiman takes us through three broad stages of human history: when nature was in control; when humans discovered agriculture and affected climate through carbon dioxide and methane emissions; and, finally, the more recent period when human fossil-fuel use began to impact climate. In the afterword, he explores the main challenges posed to his hypothesis, and shows how recent investigations and findings ultimately strengthen the book's original claims. -- Back cover