Unveiling the True Factors behind the Collapse of Small-Scale Societies

Intro:

– Computer simulations were used to study boom-bust cycles in Neolithic farmer populations.– The research found that periodic outbreaks of warfare, not climate fluctuations, align with observed data.– Early farming societies experienced cyclical dynamics from integration to disintegration, with population cycles paralleling violent conflicts.– Social fragmentation and aggressive conflicts were instrumental in shaping the population dynamics of early farming societies.– The study suggests that periodic outbreaks of warfare, rather than climate change, can account for the observed boom-bust patterns in Neolithic farmer populations….