What can tree rings tell us about civilisation?

Tree rings are more than a record of a tree’s life. They’re an archive of climate, fire and environmental change. They can take us back thousands of years, revealing droughts, disasters and even clues to the rise and fall of societies. Valerie Trouet examines the science of reading these ancient records, from Europe’s oldest tree to Stradivarius violins. Guest: Valerie Trouet, Professor in the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, University of Arizona Producer Ali Benton