Jared M Diamond

"Jared Diamond ... reveals how successful nations recover from crises while adopting selective changes--a coping mechanism more commonly associated with individuals recovering from personal crises. Diamond compares how six countries have survived recent upheavals--ranging from the forced opening of Japan by U.S. Commodore Perry's fleet, to the Soviet Union's attack on Finland, to a murderous coup or countercoup in Chile and Indonesia, to the transformations...

Diamond reveals how tribal societies offer an extraordinary window into how our ancestors lived for millions of years--until virtually yesterday, in evolutionary terms -- and provide unique, often overlooked insights into human nature. Prologue : at the airport -- pt. 1. Setting the stage by dividing space. Friends, enemies, strangers, and traders -- pt. 2. Peace and war. Compensation for the death of a child ; A short chapter, about a tiny war ;...

In 'Collapse', Jared Diamond investigates the fate of past human societies, and the lessons for our own future. What happened to the people who built the ruined temples of Angkor Wat, the long-abandoned statues of Easter Island, the crumbling Maya pyramids of the Yucatan?

In 2014, John Brockman, publisher of Edge.org, asked 175 scientists, artists, and philosophers to answer a question. What scientific idea needs to be put aside in order to make room for new ideas to advance?