Geeking Out About “Wicked Weather”

Guest : Dr. Alexander Gates, Rutgers University - Newark Weather doesn’t just shape our daily plans — sometimes, it shapes the course of history. From floods that altered empires to storms that changed the outcome of wars, extreme weather has quietly (and sometimes violently) rewritten the human story. Today, we’re joined by Dr. Alexander Gates, professor at Rutgers University–Newark and author of the upcoming book Wicked Weather. In it, he explores the natural disasters that didn’t just make headlines, but changed societies, politics, and the world as we know it. In this episode, we’ll talk about the historical storms, droughts, and disasters that left lasting marks on civilization, what those events teach us about risk and resilience, and why understanding the past may be one of our best tools for preparing for the future. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction: Weather's historical influence on civilizations 00:32 - Dr. Gates’ background & inspiration for Wicked Weather 01:06 - How natural disasters shape human societies 03:29 - The significance of weather-related events like hurricanes, volcanoes, and earthquakes 06:37 - Most impactful natural disasters in history 07:30 - Volcanoes from 536-540 AD changing the global climate 09:24 - The hurricane that helped end the American Revolution 11:06 - Human decisions impacting disaster resilience 11:40 - Break 1 11:42 - Building resilience: lessons from historical events 13:19 - Climate change’s role in intensifying weather extremes 16:16 - Lessons from historical weather disasters on modern emergency preparedness 17:37 - How different types of disasters prompt societal change 20:44 - Responses to weather-related disasters in different countries 23:31 - Break 2 23:33 - The importance of societal response and adaptation 28:04 - The science behind storms and the importance of understanding natural causes 29:28 - Final reflections: societal resilience and future preparedness See Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at .

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Geeking Out About “Wicked Weather” is an episode from Weather Geeks by Weather Group Television.

This episode is 00:30:26 long.

This episode was published on Feb 18, 2026.

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