drought

As the “universal solvent,” water supports interesting chemistry, geology, and, of course, biology. If there is an elixir of life, it is water. In The Three Ages of Water, Dr. Peter Gleick describes the long, fraught history — and future — of humanity’s relationship with this precious resource. Water has shaped civilizations and empires, and it has underpinned centuries of technological advance: from agriculture and public health, to our search for life on other worlds. But is our current relationship with water all wet? Drawing from the lessons of the past, Dr. Gleick charts a visionary path toward a sustainable future for water and for the planet.

Dr. Peter Gleick is a hydrologist and climatologist who co-founded Oakland’s nonprofit Pacific Institute. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, a MacArthur Fellow, and winner of Wonderfest’s Carl Sagan Prize for Science Popularization. Dr. Gleick will principally be discussing ideas in his new book, The Three Ages of Water: Prehistoric Past, Imperiled Present, and a Hope for the Future.