Soil is the root of our existence, supporting our feet, our farms, and our cities. This presentation will reveal that we are running out of soil and, unlike civilizations in the past, there are no new regions to exploit. Dr. Montgomery will discuss the natural and cultural history of soil that sweeps from ancient civilizations to modern times, and he will explore the idea that we are—and have long been—using up Earth’s soil. Participants will learn how soil has shaped us and how we have shaped soil—as society after society has risen, prospered, and plowed through a natural endowment of fertile dirt