Is Society About to Collapse?

Is Society About to Collapse?

The climate crisis, the rise of AI and the cost of living - do you feel like our society is on the brink of falling apart? Dan is joined by Dr Luke Kemp, Research Associate at the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk (CSER) at the University of Cambridge, who has spent seven years analysing 400 societies over five millennia to discover what has led to the collapse of Ancient civilisations in places like Mesoamerica, China, Egypt and across Europe.


He explains the impact inequality, leaders with traits of 'the dark triad' and environmental factors have on a historic society's survival. He identifies what changes we could make to stop it from happening to us, too.


You can learn more in Luke's book 'The History and Future of Societal Collapse'


Produced by Mariana Des Forges and James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore


Join Dan and the team for a special LIVE recording of Dan Snow's History Hit on Friday, 12th September 2025!


To celebrate 10 years of the podcast, Dan is putting on a special show of signature storytelling, never-before-heard anecdotes from his often stranger-than-fiction career, as well as answering the burning questions you've always wanted to ask!


Get tickets here, before they sell out: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/dan-snows-history-hit/.


You can also get tickets for the live show of 'The Ancients' here - https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/the-ancients-2/


We'd love to hear your feedback - you can take part in our podcast survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episoder(1500)

The Real Peaky Blinders

The Real Peaky Blinders

Today, we step beyond the slow-motion swagger and into the gritty, complex reality of the Peaky Blinders. Who were the gangsters behind the myths? And what was life actually like in the backstreets of...

26 Mar 38min

The Commanders: Yamamoto

The Commanders: Yamamoto

Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto was the mastermind of the “sneak attack” on Pearl Harbour that dragged the United States into the Second World War. His strategy stunned the Allies and allowed the Japanese mi...

23 Mar 58min

The Rise of Putin and the 1999 Apartment Bombs

The Rise of Putin and the 1999 Apartment Bombs

In September 1999, just weeks after 46-year-old Vladimir Putin became Russia’s prime minister, a series of apartment bombings ripped through Russian cities, killing hundreds as they slept and plunging...

19 Mar 34min

The Commanders: Eisenhower

The Commanders: Eisenhower

As Supreme Commander, Eisenhower spearheaded the successful Allied invasions of North Africa, Italy and Western Europe. He's consequently one of the most celebrated leaders of the Second World War - b...

16 Mar 59min

The Battle of Gettysburg

The Battle of Gettysburg

In July 1863, the quiet town of Gettysburg became the site of one of the most decisive clashes of the American Civil War. Over three intense days, Union and Confederate forces fought across fields, hi...

12 Mar 1h 5min

Can Air Power Alone Topple Governments?

Can Air Power Alone Topple Governments?

With the Iran war still unfolding, we ask the question: Can air power alone topple a government?From the First World War onward, military strategists have argued that bombing from the air could break ...

10 Mar 45min

The Commanders: Montgomery

The Commanders: Montgomery

Celebrated for his victories in North Africa and Europe, Bernard Montgomery built a reputation for meticulous planning and caution that many soldiers admired. But his record was not without controvers...

9 Mar 1h 19min

Edward VIII & Wallis Simpson: A Royal Scandal

Edward VIII & Wallis Simpson: A Royal Scandal

In this episode, we explore the dramatic love story between King Edward VIII and the twice-divorced American socialite Wallis Simpson - a romance that shook the British monarchy to its core. Set again...

5 Mar 38min

Populært innen Historie

rss-dette-ma-aldri-skje-igjen
rss-katastrofe
historier-som-endret-norge
henrettelsespodden
rss-benadet
aftenposten-historie
historier-som-endret-verden
sektledere
rss-nadelose-nordmenn-gestapo
rss-frontkjemperne
rss-strid-de-norske-borgerkrigene
historiepodden-ww2
med-egne-oyne
historiepodden
liberal-halvtime
rss-politisk-preik
rss-gamle-greier
rss-historiske-romanser-svik-drap-og-kjarlighet
rss-historiepodden-ww2
taakeprat