The Great Dying: How Indigenous Loss Shaped the Planet

All American

In this fascinating episode, we dive into a groundbreaking theory that links the devastating loss of life in the Americas during European colonization to a global climate shift. Before colonization, around 60 million indigenous people lived across the Americas, building complex societies. But when disease, violence, and displacement wiped out much of the population, vast areas of farmland were abandoned and reclaimed by forests. This massive reforestation may have contributed to a cooling period known as the Little Ice Age. We explore how human actions, even centuries ago, could have such a lasting impact on the Earth’s climate, offering a fresh perspective on history, colonization, and today's climate crisis.