Ideas

How a natural catastrophe 8,000 years ago may have fueled Brexit

Feb 9, 2026
Peter Frankopan, Oxford professor of global history and author of The Earth Transformed, explores deep climate history. He traces mass extinctions, the Moon's role in tides and life, and how sea-level changes like the Doggerland collapse helped isolate Britain. He links past climate shifts to social upheaval and considers modern warming, political denial, and possible futures.
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ANECDOTE

A Scholar's Love For Chunky Books

  • Peter Frankopan jokes his 700-page book is "one pound for every 325 million years" and prefers weighty, thorough histories.
  • He contrasts long, meaningful books with trivial long books and enjoys a chunky physical volume.
INSIGHT

Unprecedented Modern Atmospheric Change

  • Current CO2 levels are the highest in 2 million years and we're warmer than at any time in 125,000 years.
  • Frankopan warns history shows societies that fail to adapt to rapid climate shifts face collapse or severe consequences.
INSIGHT

Doggerland Tsunami Shaped British Identity

  • A massive tsunami around 6150 BC submerged Doggerland and physically separated Britain from continental Europe.
  • Peter Frankopan links that separation to long-term cultural, political and naval developments shaping British exceptionalism.
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