Nature never ceases to impress us with its intricate beauty and complex systems. Sometimes the most wondrous aspects are the factors that keep everything in order. The more we investigate, the more we find natural forces that are so subtle we often overlook their significance.

Our modern civilization is also a complicated (and sometimes wondrous) structure. But what forces are at work to maintain its order? Why do some cultures thrive for centuries then suddenly dissolve into chaos? What can we do to prevent this from happening to our society today?