[blam]

"If you think about it long enough, you will frighten yourself to reflect on how civilization hangs on a very thin thread."

I'm an anthropology 'catastrophist,' I know what you mean. In 44BC there was a worldwide (mild) catastrophe recorded by tree rings. I wonder if the loss of this instrument is related to that time?

[Mackey]

Speaking of catastrophes:

The case for catastrophe – the theories of myth revisited: Mythopedia