Diamond is a World's Best Friend

Surely everyone knows about 'rockstar' scientist Jared Diamond? You know, who won the Pulitzer for providing solid scientific evidence that proves geography, and not race, led to white people having the upper hand. The same man who's new book, Collapse, explains how societies ignoring environmental destruction often meet grim fates.

His books - Guns Germs and Steel & Collapse - are long reads, so download the abridged audio versions and listen on your commute, or when you're doing laundry. If that's still too hard, here's a 1-hour lecture, where he offers a summary of Collapse: Video via Google Video