Explore the fascinating connection between climate change and the rise and fall of ancient civilizations in this 26-minute AGU Fall Meeting press conference. Discover how shifts in climate over 4,000 years ago may have influenced the languages spoken in the Middle East today. Learn about the challenges researchers face in obtaining climate records, from negotiating with national governments to local chiefs. Examine findings from the Middle East and Indian subcontinent that reveal climate change's role in the success and disintegration of past societies. Delve into topics such as climate proxy records, cave records, the Indus Civilizations, moisture availability, Mesopotamia, and the Sumerian and Acadian civilizations. Gain insights from experts Matthew Konfirst and Sebastian Breitenbach as they discuss dating uncertainties, dust bowls, and the implications of these historical climate patterns for our understanding of civilizational development.