🤯 Did You Know (click to read)
Angkor’s urban sprawl covered an area comparable to modern Los Angeles.
At its height in the 12th century, Angkor in present-day Cambodia spanned nearly 1,000 square kilometers. Its rulers engineered vast reservoirs and canals to control monsoon rains. The hydraulic system supported millions of people and intensive rice agriculture. But sediment cores reveal cycles of severe drought followed by intense flooding. The infrastructure, once a marvel, became difficult to manage under extreme variability. Canals clogged and embankments failed. Maintenance demands exceeded capacity. Political instability compounded environmental stress. Gradually, the urban core was abandoned.
💥 Impact (click to read)
Angkor’s fall demonstrates the double-edged sword of technological triumph. The same waterworks that enabled explosive growth required continuous oversight. When climate patterns became erratic, the system could not easily adapt. Repairing massive canals during drought would have strained labor forces. Flooding likely destroyed critical sections faster than they could be rebuilt. The city’s immense footprint made coordination complex. Its scale amplified its vulnerability.
Rather than disappearing overnight, Angkor shifted geographically. Populations migrated closer to more stable waterways near the Mekong River. Religious and political centers relocated. The ruins of Angkor Wat stand today as monuments to hydraulic ambition. The lesson is subtle but powerful: infrastructure must evolve with environmental reality. When nature changes the rules, even grand cities must relocate. Urban gigantism can become inertia.
Source
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences study on Angkor climate variability
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