Kyle Harper

Book cover of Plagues upon the Earth: Disease and the Course of Human History by Kyle Harper
Biological Sciences

Plagues upon the Earth: Disease and the Course of Human History

A sweeping germ’s-eye view of history from human origins to global pandemics

Plagues upon the Earth is a monumental history of humans and their germs. Weaving together a grand narrative of global history with insights from cutting-edge genetics, Kyle Harper explains why humanity’s uniquely dangerous disease pool is rooted deep in our evolutionary past, and why its growth is accelerated by technological progress. […Learn More]

Book cover of The Fate of Rome: Climate, Disease, and the End of an Empire by Kyle Harper
Ancient Civilizations

The Fate of Rome: Climate, Disease, and the End of an Empire

How devastating viruses, pandemics, and other natural catastrophes swept through the far-flung Roman Empire and helped to bring down one of the mightiest civilizations of the ancient world

Here is the monumental retelling of one of the most consequential chapters of human history: the fall of the Roman Empire. The Fate of Rome is the first book to examine the catastrophic role that climate change and infectious diseases played in the collapse of Rome’s power―a story of nature’s triumph over human ambition. […Learn More]