Ancient China: Lack Of Rainfall Could Have Contributed To Social Upheaval And Fall Of Dynasties
Thursday, November 6, 2008 - 17:28
in Earth & Climate
Chinese history is replete with the rise and fall of dynasties, but researchers now have identified a natural phenomenon that may have been the last straw for some of them: a weakening of the summer Asian Monsoons. A lack of rainfall could have contributed to social upheaval and the fall of dynasties. Such weakening accompanied the fall of three dynasties and now could be lessening precipitation in northern China.