Water Crisis on the Blue Planet: What Water’s Past tells us about Humanity’s Future

History Talk, the history podcast from Origins: Current Events in Historical Perspective

Across human history and throughout this very diverse planet, water has defined every aspect of human life: from the molecular, biological and ecological to the cultural, religious, economic and political. Water stands at the foundation of most of what we do as humans. At the same time, water resources — the need for clean and accessible water supplies for drinking, agriculture and power production — will likely represent one of the most complicated dilemmas of the twenty-first century. In this presentation, Nicholas Breyfogle, Associate Professor of History and Director, Goldberg Center for Excellence in Teaching at Ohio State University speaks on the history of water. The talk is moderated by Bart Elmore, Associate Professor of Environmental History and Core Faculty, Sustainability Institute, Ohio State University.