Diverse studies of traffic, baseball, crime-temperature relationships, and others, support the hypothesis that heat breeds violence at a time when, in the US, violent crime is on the wane. Droughts and deluges lead to environmental insecurity by many mechanisms as reflected in an examination of social conflicts in Africa. Rising food prices also foster riots. Climate change is an important factor that has led to societal collapse. Other weather and climate changes, such as those associated with El Niño, are also linked to societal disruption. These relationships have contributed to the current violence in the Middle East.