This video was inspired by an in-depth BBC Future article by Lewis Dartnell. Read more:

An extract:

If you did ever find yourself a survivor of a global catastrophe that wiped out most of humanity, what could you do about it? What would be the most vital knowledge you'd need to survive, and eventually thrive? It's here that the lone hero trope falls down. There's safety in numbers, and of course, we were only able to progress through history and build the modern world in the first place by working together; humanity is an inherently social, collaborative species. So while there will undoubtedly be a period of turmoil following a collapse, people will once again settle down into communities soon enough.

The question is, what next...? What will be your immediate priorities, and what capabilities should your community aim to recover over the following years?

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APOCALYPSE WEEK

To coincide with the US solar eclipse on 21 August, BBC Future is running a special series about the end of the world. For other stories, check back here, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

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Video credits: 1000 Heads/Adrian Burke/Shane Croke/Kate Morrison/Daniel Koublachvili

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